"Every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Good things happen to all of us, but bad things have a bigger impact. We tend to mull over the negatives a lot more and let them in on our lives.

I have looked into this a little today, and there are lots of different suggestions. Maybe one of them will help you go to sleep with a smile on your face and wake up on a positive note.

I myself tend to find it hard to shut my brain down in the evening, so I would read a book, listen to a sleep story or put on relaxing music. I also keep pen and paper beside the bed, so if something comes into my head, I write it down so that my mind doesn’t have to work overtime trying to remember it for the next day. At this stage, I am quite an expert at finding the pen in the dark and writing without looking. Not the easiest thing to read the next day, but it definitely works.

How other people do it

I have a friend that spends some minutes every night going over in her head all the positives in her life. Ending her day on a good note with positive thoughts works for her.

Other suggestions I found were keeping a journal and writing down all the positive things that happened during that day before retiring to bed.

Some people meditate mindfully. Concentrating on their breathing and relaxing the body one bit at a time. Having a singular focus can help in shutting out scattered thoughts that would keep you awake otherwise.

I found plenty of advice on the importance of ending your day by not procrastinating. Look at your to-do list, and if there are some smaller tasks that can be done easily, why not do them? Tidy up a bit, be ready for the morning. That way, you will feel good for having been proactive, and your next day will dawn with less on your list.

Maybe end your day with some laughter, watch a funny TV show, or read something funny.

Having a hot bath or shower relaxes the body and prepares you for sleep.

I hope you find something useful or worth trying on my list. Maybe you would like to share your wind-down tips and help us end our day on a positive note?

Maria Brady

Photo: Pat Brady