7 Sleep Rituals for Healing

"I slept fine, but I'm still so tired!"

...sound familiar?

We are all walking vortexes of energy and our bodies require energy maintenance. Each of us generates a unique frequency that is perceptible in the energy we give off, and even visible in our auric fields...

..and to develop mastery over your energetic state, you MUST start with sleep. Sleep is THE KEY to:

• energy rejuvenation
• optimal health and
• overall well being.

If you feel your sleep routine is not giving you the rest you need, it's time for a makeover! Here are SEVEN evening rituals that will soothe the body, mind, and spirit to prepare you for a restful night of rejuvenating sleep.

1. Winding Down With An Evening Walk

The simple things in life are so good, aren’t they?

After a long day of giving the world your best, a gentle form of exercise such as walking is one of the best ways to prepare the body for sleep. A wonderful and effective form of exercise, walking can be your own personal meditation before bedtime.

If you've come across the work of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, the author of such books as Peace Is Every Step, then you know that this beautiful soul and spiritual master is an enthusiastic advocate of meditative walking.

A Vietnamese buddhist monk renowned throughout the world for his poetic spiritual teachings on how to enjoy a peaceful life, Thich was actually one of the very first spiritual teachers that I ever studied!

Shortly after reading his book Peace Is Every Step, I recognized there was something to learn from this gentle man, and soon delved deeply into all of his books for many eye-opening lessons on how simple tasks such as mindful walking are an important ritual to soothe the soul, and develop inner peace.

He recommends the practice of mindful walking to deepen our bonds with nature, the earth, and our communities. Taking a mindful walk, breathing deeply, and slowing down to appreciate the beauty all around us does wonders for the spirit.

2. Experience the Healing Power of Water

Water is a wonderful way to decrease anxiety...it literally washes away our troubles!

Cleansing and undeniably soothing, a bathing ritual is quite different from taking a brisk shower just to clean up at the beginning or end of the day. It is a cleansing of the mind and spirit that can become a mindful part of a healing sleep ritual.

Choose items for your bath which have a scent that plays into your goals through good aromatherapy practices. Choose music that promote the best frequency for your goals.

Not only does water have a healing effect as it cascades down and across your body, but moving or falling water also has the added health benefit of releasing negative ions into the air.

Negative ions are a mood-enhancer found amidst the crashing surf at the beach, or the white mist of a waterfall, or any moving body of water that tumbles. Wherever these can be found, go to them!

If you are lucky enough to live near a beach, waterfall, or river, take a dip before bedtime (if allowed with the local laws) and experience the rejuvenating effects of water.

3. Enjoy the Vibratory Effects of Food

Food has a vibration, just like you. Everything you put in your mouth has an effect on your body that can either make you feel uncomfortable and bloated, or satiated and relaxed.

The vibratory effects of food are directly related to its freshness, whether or not the food is in a raw natural state, as well as portion sizes, nutritional content, and the combination of foods you eat. 

Whether or not you are practicing a Reiki diet, timing your meals wisely before bed is an important part of sleeping well. Eat a healthy, well-balanced dinner 2-4 hours before bedtime, and a light, healthy, well-chosen snack about an hour or two before drifting off to sleep. This will ensure you are neither distracted by hunger, nor uncomfortably full before bedtime.

Melatonin-rich Foods

Some healthy options for a late-night snack are those rich in naturally-occurring melatonin. These include walnuts and tart cherries. Walnuts and tart cherries have almost twice the melatonin of sweet cherries, so I definitely recommend incorporating those into your diet. Other good natural snacks that increase melatonin levels are almonds and goji berries, which are delicious!

Several studies recommend kiwi before bedtime, which is considered by many to be a “super-fruit." Pistachio nuts are also a good late night snack in small doses. 

My favorite? Perhaps you've heard of "Golden Milk". It is a wonderful elixir that is quite delicious before bedtime.

Here's my recipe:

Warm up a cup of milk (I prefer coconut, rice, or almond milk).

Add 1/2 teaspoon each of turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon.

Stir these together in the pot so the flavors can meld together, then pour the mixture into your favorite mug for a warm cup of goodness.

Stir in a little raw honey for sweetness just before drinking.

(I like to add a small amount raw cocoa powder to my golden milk, although this is not necessary.)

Golden milk has been shown to improve digestion and immunity, reduce inflammation, and enhance mood.

4. Arrange the Nature of Your Surroundings

Have you taken the time to make your bedroom your sanctuary?

This will be time well spent.

It is easy to allow our bedrooms to become a "catch all" for clothes and items; a place to stow away the clutter we shoo away from the living room.

This is not a good long-term solution. Throw or give away anything you do not use so that you have a cleaner space, and better peace of mind. Have neat and tidy containers for your belongings and put everything away. There is nothing quite as sweet as a sound night's sleep in beautiful surroundings.

Take the time to create an orderly environment for your bedroom; have a place for everything, and keep everything in its place.

Perhaps you're the type of person who rushes off in the morning, oversleeping the alarm, and hurrying around to leave in the morning. If that’s the case, when you first come home, tidy up and make your bedroom clean and presentable. This is a habit you will begin to cherish and an investment in the quality of your sleep.

Provide moments of open space in your home and bedroom too, this will help your mind to calm down, undistracted by paraphernalia such as loose papers and clothes that need to be washed.

Along with this open space, decorate your quarters nicely, so that you enjoy spending time at home.

It is a good idea to have a few well-placed items of personal significance in your sanctuary, things that have meaning to you and express your personality. Generate the ambience you crave, and you will look forward to bedtime each night, feeling relaxed and at ease.

5. Get Rid of Electronics & Technology

We are walking electromagnetic fields and can be affected by the electromagnetic fields of our technological devices.

According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a study involving 12 people who read for four hours per night over a two week period, indicated that using a technology device such as an Ereader for several hours before bedtime reduced melatonin levels by up to 50%, delayed sleep by ten minutes, and reduced REM sleep by ten minutes. This study also found the participants circadian rhythm to be offset by about an hour and a half!

Even more, studies that reveal a disturbance in sleep patterns from the use of smartphones around bedtime (although laptop computers were still the worst for energetic interference.)

Radio waves are also being emitted from your technology devices constantly, which can disturb the electromagnetic field of your body. Couple this with the fact that the pineal gland, which uses the absence of light as a signal to produce melatonin and engage in sleep, is thrown off balance by devices which are lit up in the room around you, such as those with LED lights.

It is a good idea to shut off your electronic devices, and keep them away from your body when you are preparing for sleep. You should remove all potential disturbances from your environment that might inhibit a deep and healing rest.

6. Tune Your Frequency

If your body is made up of frequency, then it is one with sound. Every sound has a frequency, a personal signature, just like you.

When you synchronize your body with certain frequencies, you can attain different levels of consciousness. Think attunements in Reiki...

There is a reason why some of the most highly paid and most loved people in the world are musicians! The benefits of harmonious music on our body, mind, and spirit is incalculable.

The wondrous feeling that we get when we attune our body correctly through the frequency of sound is so beneficial, we should add sound therapy to our evening ritual whenever possible.

Music and sound can generate all kinds of emotional and mental states, depending on the frequency and harmony. They can energize, soothe, heal, and lead us into a creative state of well-being that enhances our lives.

Brainwaves are in varying states of frequency, depending on how relaxed we are. The deep sleep state is known as Delta, REM sleep and deep meditation are known as Theta, and a relaxed and creative waking state is indicated by the presence of Alpha waves.

You can GENERATE these states of relaxation in the brain by listening to certain types of music and sound frequencies. One method of attuning your brain through sound frequency is called brainwave entrainment through binaural beats.

Brainwave entrainment induces targeted states of consciousness through listening to specific sound frequencies through headphones. Each ear receives a slightly different frequency, and the brain entrains to the difference between the two frequencies.

For example: if you listen to a sound frequency of 200 hertz (cycles per second) in your right ear, and 205 in your left ear, your brain will operate at a frequency equal to the difference between the two. In this case, that frequency is 5 hertz. This is a frequency that falls within the Theta range, a relaxed state of consciousness. Theta brainwaves are generated during sleep, and during deep meditation.

Try listening to binaural beats before bedtime to relax and induce sleep or deep meditation. You can listen to them with or without music, they work either way. Binaural beats have been scientifically proven to be an effective mode to achieve targeted states of consciousness, such as sleep.

Many types of music operate in soul-soothing frequencies, and are appropriate for pre-sleep ritual. Try listening to classical music such as Vivaldi, Bach, or Debussy. Another great option is the sounds of nature. Nature sounds and falling water are highly beneficial to putting the body in a relaxed state before bedtime.

(I also have a full body healing session that you can use at any time to help you decompress and balance your energy. If you're interested, you can access the session by clicking here.)

7. Let Go

After a day's work, the energy we have experienced through the day can cloud calmness.

Harsh and judgmental thought processes, fear-based thinking, and lack of forgiveness generates negative energy that builds up, and stays with us through sleep. Do you have an incident in your life, or perhaps several, that deeply disturbs you? If so there is the potential that these incidents are embedded in your auric field as negative energy.

Have you ever felt like you've had a "sleep hangover"? Do you wake up, having slept long enough...but still unrested? You may be focusing on continued negative energy before sleep.

This trapped negative energy can hamper your productivity, sleep, and moods. While this energetic disturbance may be subtle, and you are not exactly sure why you have this underlying feeling of unease, it is bringing down your energy frequency.

We all have a build up of memories as we continue to mature that leaves a residue of negative energy in our auric field. If this energetic residue is not released, it can stay in our field indefinitely.

There are two things to be aware of with regards to keeping your energy field healthy:

1. Rehashing unpleasant memories can create persistent negative energy patterns

2. Leaving pockets of negative energy in your field is not the solution. It is like burying a mess in your closet, or sweeping dust under the rug...it may be out of sight, but your house still isn't clean!

As we grow older, the residue of negative energy builds up to disproportionate degrees. We find we can no longer avoid addressing the disturbance in our energy field, because its presence is becoming more and more noticeable.

Energetic fields that are rife with negativity are highly conspicuous and tend to drive a wedge between our relationship with ourselves and others. This energy must be released!

The best time to do your energy work varies depending on how you feel!

If you are having trouble getting to sleep, do your energy work prior to falling asleep. If you are tired, then go to sleep, and if you find yourself awakened in the middle of the night with feelings of anxiousness, fear or sadness, do your energy work then.

If all goes well and you go to sleep easily and sleep well through the night, then do your energy work in the morning when you first wake up.

This type of energy work is energy release work. It is designed to help you let go of emotional and energetic baggage that has built-up over a lifetime. The objective is to scan your body for pockets of negative energy, and release them, hopefully for good.

(If you still have trouble, I do have a healing session that will do this for you...you can access the session by clicking here.)

Lay down and allow yourself to feel the internal state of your body and notice if there is a tight or unpleasant energy blockage anywhere. Once you find it, don’t overthink about the incident that caused it, this can add to the negative energy. Just acknowledge the negative energy pocket, treat it with love and kindness, and let it go. Hold your attention on it until you feel it diminish.

Reiki healing can clear large blockages and regular practice keeps your mind and body free from negative energy.

Creating a meditative routine before bed is essential for good sleep.10-20 minutes of mindful and positive thinking will do WONDERS for making the most of your sleep.

Now, start getting your BEST sleep!

Start adding these practices to your evening routine and watch how you become a master of healing through their additive affects.

Remember: Always end your day by being kindness towards yourself and taking the time for a meditative evening ritual that will enhance your life. When you are kind to yourself and to others, you are a blessing to everyone you meet.

I also have a full body healing session that you can use at any time to help you heal and get better sleep. Get instant access to the session by clicking here.

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