So Long, Stress, Hello Sleep

If tossing and turning were a workout, millions of us would be star athletes. At least 1 in 10 people say they find it difficult to fall asleep most nights, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Blame much of that on the stress of everyday life. The tension that builds during the day rarely dissipates by bedtime. "Though sleep is essential to our physical and psychological well-being, ironically our minds don't allow our bodies to fall asleep until we are at peace," says Alice Domar, Ph.D., director of the Domar Center for Complementary Healthcare at Boston IVF, and author of Self Nurture. "If you’re too troubled to sleep, it's a hard cycle to break."

Here's a 10-minute pre-bedtime routine designed to put both your mind and body at ease. If you have a large bed, you can perform this routine right on top of the covers. Otherwise, pick a comfortable spot on the bedroom floor.

Be a child again
Tension is often centered in the neck, upper and lower back. Yoga's "child pose" targets this area for relaxation. Kneel near or on your bed, and sit back with your rear on top of your heels. Bend forward until your chest rests on your thighs and your forehead touches the bed or floor with your chin tucked under. Relax your arms on the bed or floor beside your legs, palms up. Hold for 10 seconds. Remember to breathe deeply.

Slow, steady neck stretches
Next, sit up straight on the edge of your bed. Lower your chin to your chest. Push your head forward and your shoulders back as if you were poking it out of a turtle shell. Hold the position for three to five seconds; return to the starting point. Repeat three times.

Relax your back
Lie face-up and bring your knees to your chest. Grab your knees below your kneecaps and gently circle them toward the left 5-10 times, then to the right 5-10 times. You should feel a gentle stretch in the lower back.

Twist your torso
Lie flat on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor or bed. Extend your arms to the sides, straight out with the palms up. Inhale while keeping your feet on the floor. Exhale as you slowly drop your knees to the right side and turn your head to the left simultaneously. Breathe deeply for five counts. Inhale as you return your head and knees to center. Exhale as you lower your legs to the left side, dropping your head to the right. Alternate and do each side three times.

Up the contrast
Close your eyes and focus on tensing and relaxing your muscle groups, one at a time. Start with your head, tensing the jaw, eyes, and forehead for 5 seconds, then relaxing. Feeling the contrast between tension and relaxation, work your way down your body one area at a time until you reach your toes.

Sigh yourself toward sleep
Get under the covers and lie on your back. Breathe slowly and deeply so that your chest and abdomen rise and fall -- almost sighing -- with each breath. Count from 1 to 4 as you inhale and then 4 to 1 as you exhale slowly. Choose a word such as "peace" or "calm" to say with each outgoing breath. Continue at least 5 minutes.

Don’t worry, be sleepy
If a worry surfaces during the breathing exercise, just say "Oh, well" to yourself and return to your breathing, says Dr. Herbert Benson, a physician and president of the Mind/Body Medical Institute in Boston. Consider extraneous thoughts as bubbles rising from the bottom of a pot of boiling water and picture them bursting at the surface, says Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., founding director of the stress reduction clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, and author of Coming to Our Senses. Imagine yourself in a relaxing setting, perhaps lying in a cabana on the beach. With the help of this complete routine you likely won't even notice when you drift off to sleep.