8 Spiritual Habits The Happiest, Most Balanced People Practice Every Night Before Bed
Chase away the 'demons' of the day.
Max kegfire / Shutterstock Our pace of living here in America is beyond demanding. The expectations we place on ourselves only add to the cacophony of daily life and complicate what it means to be a productive, happy, balanced person.
It’s not hard to understand then that we expect more restoration from our sleep. A multitude of research outcomes shows us that sleep is where the healing and the system resets happen.
Imagine if you could help your body to power down gently, for that deeper reset for your body, mind and spirit.
How much more peace or productivity might this offer you? Spiritual practices offer us just this — the opportunity to unplug, reset and subsequently recharge through our sleep.
As humans, we don't always realize how much our daily activities can weigh us down, distract us and separate us from our inner being. Our inner being is our spiritual nature and it responds well to spiritual practices. In a conscious effort to lighten our loads, we often overlook the value of nightly, spiritual practices.
As a consciousness mentor and intuitive consultant, I run a spiritual practice. I work with people and their challenges and their growth edges every day. I have an increased need to release the stuff of others in order to rest and power myself down at night.
So, I put my work into practice for myself each and every night through the habits below. These practices, whether approached singularly or by using many of them in one night, will support you in feeling more balanced and rested, and reset your mind for the coming days and weeks.
Here are eight spiritual habits to practice at bedtime for greater rest and peace
1. Write it away
Journal your day’s experiences as a means to release them for the night.
2. Release the day
Intend (aloud, in writing or think this in your head) that you are releasing all of the day’s events.
3. Stretch it out
Gentle stretching before sleeping can help to release our day as well as ready our physical body for sleep.
4. Welcome sleep
Meditate with the intention of welcoming sleep.
5. Visualize a comfortable environment
Visualize protective, white light surrounding the electronics in your room/sleeping space, so that their energy doesn’t affect your sleep.
6. Connect with the divine
Call in your angels, your guidance team or god to shield and protect you while you sleep.
7. Seek restoration
Intend (aloud, in writing or think this in your head) that you are sleeping peacefully and receiving full restoration through the act of sleeping.
8. Affirm your balance
State positive affirmations in your head as you are close to sleep. The hypnogogic state — the state that immediately precedes sleep — is when our brains are ripe for programming and re-programming. Affirmations stated at this time will calm your mind and support your balance.
When we approach our nighttime routines as a time to invite in the sacred — whatever that means for you within your belief system and comfort level — we can bring more peace and balance to our sleep and the following days. Furthermore, inviting in the sacred need not be a big ordeal nor does it mean you've got to start attending services, reading certain books or giving up your favorite habits.
Communing with the divine as a means to deeper sleep and the subsequent reward of feeling more balanced is only an intention away.
Angela Bixby is a certified Psychic-Medium, Reiki master, and Core Shamanic Studies practitioner. She helps connect people to their consciousness and their intuition.