What your bedside table says about you
What your bedside table says about you
Do you have trouble getting off to sleep at night?
Ruth’s bedside table was a total disaster and no wonder she felt unsettled at bedtime. Its small surface was piled high with half-read books, magazines and newspaper articles I had promised myself I would read, tissues, lotions and potions, pens, unfinished Sudoku puzzles, a clock radio and my iPhone on charge. No wonder I couldn’t get a good night’s sleep. Can anybody out there relate to this? Have you considered your bedside table as an indicator of your sleep patterns?
When Ruthless arrived, the first thing she did was look at the book titles and give herself a break. I knew deep down that I wasn’t going to read the book my sister was raving about or finish the self-help book I bought online six months ago, along with the three other self-help titles. The first paragraph put me to sleep and I never picked it up again. Why do I keep doing this? Because I think that I’ll be smarter and more successful if I only read all these books!! Giving myself permission not to finish, or even start, some of these books was a huge relief.
Top Tip: Keep only one book on your bedside table and either finish it or move it back to the bookshelf. If you haven’t read it within a year you probably never will; give it to the Lifeline book fair.
What do you really need on your bedside table? Ruthless thinks these things are a must: a box of tissues, hand cream, a lamp and a single book. You know which books you’re most likely to read, so stick with what you like and set yourself a goal to read one chapter per night. Resist the urge to check your emails or social media feeds late in the evening. Research shows that people sleep better when they avoid screens for at least 30 minutes before bed. Try charging your phone in another room overnight and go back to using your clock radio alarm, you don’t need both.
Imagine how much more interesting you would be if you read a book each night instead of looking at memes on social media. Meditating would be even better but I understand that it’s not for everyone. I like to think about my day and list three positives. It helps bring me back to my goal, which is to be purposeful each and every day. Try to use that time before you shut your eyes as a reflective time and not a time to wire up your mind with puzzles, technology and catching up on news; it’s not conducive to a good night’s sleep.
Book me for a Bedroom Bliss session to create a healthy sleeping environment for you and your loved ones. Don’t lose any more sleep, get Ruthless!