If stress and anxiety follow you during the whole day and hinder your sleep, relaxation techniques can help you quiet your mind and calm your body. Try one of these 5 simple exercises when you’re in bed.

Breathing exercise

Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. Let all your attention be turned to your breathing pattern. Feel the air enter and leave your nose or mouth. Think of whether it’s cold or warm. Visualize the flow of air as it passes through your mouth, down into your belly. Get rid of any tension, as you exhale. If your mind wanders to another thought, let it go and bring your attention back to your breath.

Imagination control

The main point of this exercise is to focus your attention on any image or story, so that your mind can get rid of worries or thoughts that keep you awake. Get into a comfortable position in bed. Close your eyes and try to relax. Start to visualize a scene, memory, or story that you find calming. This is highly individual—find what works best for you: a favorite vacation or calming outdoor spot, a relaxing activity, sunny beach walk or adventure trip. All you need is to find something that allows you to focus your attention and let go of other thoughts. Begin to imagine some plot in your mind. Think of all the details of the image or story, as slowly and carefully as you can. 

If some thoughts continue bothering you, acknowledge them and let them go. Turn back to your relaxing story. Of course it takes time before it works, each time you practice you will get better at it.

Autogenic training

Autogenic training is an effective method for reducing stress and improving sleep. It works by using a series of exercises and focusing your attention on specific physical sensations of the body, in order to relax both mentally and physically. Autogenic training focuses the mind on sensations of warmth and heaviness in different parts of the body. These exercises help to relax physically as well as to quiet and calm your thoughts.

Rhythmic Movement And Mindful Exercise

For someone it may sound strange to think of exercise as relaxing, but rhythmic movement and mindful exercise is one of the great relaxation techniques. Some of the best examples are walking, running or swimming. As you are doing these activities, it is important to be mindful.

Mindful exercise is focusing your mind completely on the present. Focus on the rhythm that your body moves. You may also listen to calming music during the exercise. Focus on your muscles, their relaxation and how your body feels. Focus on your breathing. Your entire focus should be on what you are doing at this moment.

Count backward

While lying in bed, start counting backwards from 100. Do it slowly, about once a second, 100…99…98. Take your time. If you get lost or forget what number you’re on, you need to start over again from 100. Every time you get lost, gently start over. Don’t allow yourself to become frustrated, just be gentle with yourself and start back over from 100. And why does it work? It’s both monotonous and mildly hypnotic. You’re just doing something monotonous with your mind that will have the effect of making you sleepy.

Sleep is an important part of our daily circle of life. It gives our body and mind a rest from the daily stress and routine. If there is something that prevents us from healthy sleep, we are to do something to cope with this problem. Try one of the suggested techniques and sleep well.