Let me guess, you had a restless night. In fact, it’s happening more often than usual, and you just can’t seem to catch up on sleep. Can you relate anything specific to when this started, or have you given in to thinking this is just you? This is your sleep pattern and there’s not much you can do about it?

When restless or no sleep is happening, it is stemming from somewhere and usually it’s our job, children, or other life stresses. Sometimes these things will take time to correct or find the right reprieve from so what else can we do to support getting better sleep sooner?

Starting with the mind is a good place to start but we must take a holistic view including mind, body, and soul. By addressing key things within these areas will bring balance to you and your routine and get you the well needed rest you deserve.

During my 2-year burnout (one I never stopped working through), I tried so many things and what has changed my sleep and my life in a sustainable way are these three simple adjustments: I’m going to flip it around and work from the evening routine to morning.

Evening: You’ve had a long day already and it doesn’t end til bed. What is going on until this very moment?

Tip#1: Unplug – you need to unplug from your day to recharge.  Turn your phone on silent at 6pm every night for a week. You need to rest your mind from a reactive state and have some silence. What it will bring you is space and start allowing your energy to rebuild. By not reacting to dings, whistles, or a theme song a few times per hour will start conditioning you to stop remaining alert to it.

You may not realize but your mind is always on alert with these technologies. Waiting for a notice, a ring or ding. We are addicted to this and need to break the cycle. We need to control how we use our phones and not have it control us. It’s not so much that you will not be checking it if you feel you must, but you check it on your time not the phones beck and call.

Do this for one week and see if it alleviates some tension or stress in the evenings. Then do it another week and maybe by the third week turn off vibrate … because I know some of you will keep it on just in case. And turn it completely off 30 minutes before you hit the pillow.

Morning: How you wake up and what you do in the morning directly affects a lot of how your day will unfold. Do you begin with flashing lights and loud beeping then reach for the coffee or some other caffeinated drink? Here are two proven things that will make a huge difference to how you approach your day. It will soothe the body and soul and get your day off to a superb start.

Tip #2: Swap out your wake up alarm – I remember sharing a room at a sales meeting and after a late night out was rudely awakened by my colleagues insanely loud beep and buzz alarm on her phone. She popped up like a bomb went off and was not even awake. I turned to her and asked, “Do you always wake up to that?”. Her answer was yes!

I was floored and remember the days when I too used to wake up to some awful beeping alarm. I told her my story of how just changing what I woke up to completely changed how I stepped into the day. So, we went through her phone, found a song she likes that is slower, softer, and added it as her new alarm. The rest of that week was oh so different and I was so thankful she tried it.

Another amazing thing I incorporated into my morning wake up was a sunrise simulated alarm clock. It is honestly the best thing I have ever bought that does the trick. You see, our bodies have a natural internal process that knows when you have had enough sleep and wakes you up. We are also connected to earth’s natural sunrise and sunset cycle.  But, because we fight against this internal clock every day due to our jobs, lives, and distractions we need help to give our bodies the sensation that we are moving with the rhythm of earth’s natural cycle. What if you could find a way that worked naturally with the flow, the rhythm of your soul. Then try this for 28 days and see if this works for you.

The one I use which allows for a music option and nature sounds if you prefer is, the Philips “Smart Sleep wake up light”. It also has a nice feature to help you fall asleep with a light that dims like a sunset. I am sure there are several versions out there so find the one that has the features that speak best to you.

TIP #3: Ditch the Caffeine– Yes, I know I’ve been there…this seems like a deal breaker for you, but I swear it will change your body and mind for the better. I am not sharing this for you to completely take it out of your diet unless it’s your goal. I am sharing this with you because there is a way to get your intake that will best serve you versus compounding lack of sleep and anxious feelings you may be experiencing.

Trust me I know what it’s like to quit caffeine cold turkey after several years of drinking two to three lattes a day. Then Bam! That wildly painful three day headache ouch! So, here’s how to curb it:

If you drink one cup of coffee a day, then begin with drinking half caff. Yes, make a cup which is half caffeinated. If you drink more than one cup per day. Keep one fully caffeinated and replace the others with decaf. Do this for a week then keep reducing the caffeinated ones the following week until you have all decafs.

Once you reach this stage then begin having a cup every second day instead of every day. After one week begin replacing the decaf completely with something else that is either healthier like a Kombucha or juice.

What you should experience in a few weeks’ time is more restful sleep. Not having the tap on the shoulder in the night. You wake up more refreshed and feel energized without the dreaded lull that has made you reach for the caffeine in the first place. I have had clients, friends, and family all benefit from this and are grateful they tried.

What generally happens is when you feel the results, less anxiety, better sleep, and more energy you will begin to want to protect it. Once you give your body rest from it for some time you can enjoy a cup occasionally without the negative physical and mental effects.

Start these three routines today and begin to heal your relationship with your mind, body and soul.