5 Tips to Naturally Calm Your Mind and Stop Endless Late-Night Scrolling
No matter how tired you are after a long, busy day, do you still find yourself waking up in the middle of the night? Then, of course, you slip into an endless loop of late-night scrolling on your phone. In fact, you might be reading this in the wee hours right now. Luckily, there are some tips to help calm your mind and finally get decent shut eye.
Koya Webb, a yoga teacher and celebrity holistic health coach (she’s worked with famous faces like Stevie Wonder and Ashley Judd), is teaming up with Zulily to share ways we can all find a little more peace at night.
They’re especially hoping to help stressed out moms after a study conducted by the company showed they are the ones who are most likely to be awake between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. — and spending that time on their phones. They’ve even opened a special Late Night Shop for Mom that offers tons of calming products (plus free shipping for orders placed between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.).
On top of that, Webb offers five super easy and all-natural tips for hitting snooze before the late-night scrolling even starts. Take a look:
Make “Me Time” — Even If It’s Just a Micromoment
“Before it’s time to tuck in, make a nighttime routine to signal to your body it’s time for sleep,” Webb suggests. “Try something as simple as spending 10 minutes laying on your back with your eyes closed as a skincare mask dries.”
If you can’t squeeze in 10 minutes, she recommends making the most of “micromoments of peace” — like putting on your favorite robe or sipping a soothing tea from your favorite teacup. Whatever it might be, the most important thing is to “make everything you do sacred,” she says.
Create a Soothing Environment Without Spending a Lot
Zulily’s research showed that most moms are looking for ways to add more calm to their surroundings. “That doesn’t mean completely renovating your home,” Webb explains. “Small, affordable touches such as aromatherapy diffusers with calming scents and comfortable bedding can go a long way.”
You can easily find plenty of options on their website, like the Fabulous Frannie Aromatherapy Diffuser (Buy on Zulily, $45.99) and Spirit Linen Comforter (Buy on Zulily, $29.99).
Keep a Yoga Pose In Your Back Pocket
“Yoga isn’t just about exercise,” Webb reminds us. “Some poses have the power to help the mind and body settle after a long day — or even longer night.” She lists relaxing stretches like Child’s Pose and Sleeping Pigeon, but adds that an even simpler one called Legs on the Wall can work wonders. It’s exactly how it sounds: Lay on the ground or in bed on your back, getting close to the wall so you can create an L-shape, and situate your legs up on the wall.
“This restorative posture helps calm the nerves and remove restlessness from your legs, especially if you’ve been on your feet all day (moms, we know that’s all of you).” You can also check out a few more of our favorite yoga poses for sleep.
Work on Your Breath
How often do you really think about your breathing? Webb says that focusing on it more can have an immediate calming effect. She offers a super easy technique: “Inhale for at least 5 seconds and exhale just as slowly. Bring your shoulders to ears on the next inhale to loosen up the tension building in your shoulders, and slowly bring them down on the exhale.”
You can repeat this breathing method for two or three minutes and hopefully find yourself in sweet slumber all night long.
Do the “Write” Thing
A racing mind is one of the most common problems causing sleepless nights. Webb says writing down your constant stream of thoughts before going to bed (or when you wake up in the middle of the night) can help slow things down. “Make a list of the things you’re worried about with the intention of freeing yourself of judgement,” she suggests. “More often than not, a written down list will help you realize your to-do list may be smaller and more manageable than you thought.”
Once you’ve got all the worries jotted down, Webb also recommends listing out all the things you’re grateful for. “Dinners with the family, your baby’s adorable laugh, those pictures you took of the family in matching PJ’s,” or any of the other countless things we all cherish. “By getting your thoughts out, you’ll hopefully turn your focus elsewhere — like sleep.”
For those who are reading this after waking up in the middle of the night again, we hope these tips help make this one of your last sleepless scroll sessions. Otherwise, give them a try to avoid the frustrating issue altogether before your next bedtime!
