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How far would you go for the perfect night’s sleep?
But might we all sleep better if we stopped trying so hard?
“We practice sleep each and every day,” explains Dr. Jackson Roberts.
“That’s, to me, a way to take the pressure off of perfection.”
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But focusing too much on your sleep routine can actually make it harder to achieve quality rest.
explains Dr. Chelsea Jackson Roberts, yoga instructor who teaches mindfulness for better sleep.
She recently launched the series7 Days to Better Sleep at Peloton.
What does a mindful approach to sleep look like?
A mindful approach to sleep emphasizes listening to your own needs, rather than following a set of instructions.
“I’m a recovering perfectionist,” explains Dr. Jackson Roberts.
Start small and grow your routine
Many of us struggle with upkeep when it comes to meditation.
But with a mindful approach to sleep, these mistakes and slip ups aren’t a big deal.
“If you miss a day, so what?
Skipping sessions can be a sign that you’re not happy with your approach.
“If my yoga and meditation practice is not practical for me, then what is the point?”
asks Dr. Jackson Roberts.
And here’s where the minimalism comes in.
These small increments can still have benefits, according to Dr. Jackson Roberts.
Dr. Jackson Roberts preaches practice over perfection for one important reason: perfection doesn’t exist.
And as we can never perfect our sleep routine, it needs to continually evolve to suit our needs.
I need to change it up,” says Dr. Jackson Roberts.
“It’s trial and error and I get excited about that,” says Dr. Jackson Roberts.
“Sometimes I want to switch it up.”
But she explains that through visualization and a mindful approach, “we make peace with that.”
Let’s explore three of the most common methods.
“But then also to say it’s time to rest now.”
But don’t worry if you’re struggling to achieve the deep, slow whooosh we associate with meditation.
advises Dr. Jackson Roberts.
That means shifting your thoughts away from nebulous worries and anxieties into the here and now.
“What do I hear right now?
What do I feel right now?
What do I smell right now?”
says Dr. Jackson Roberts.
I can sleep, I can rest, I can recover."
Tom’s Guide created this content as part of a paid partnership with Helix Sleep.
The contents of this article are independent and solely reflect the editorial opinion of Tom’s Guide.
