Lots of teens have trouble sleeping. Some girls sleep all the time. Others can’t get to sleep, or are only tired when they’re supposed to be awake. Either way, that can be a major downer when you’re trying to keep up with studies and social life and still get all the sleep your mind and body need.
On an average night, most people fall asleep between 5 and 10 minutes after their heads hit the pillow. But Teens and Tweens often have a tougher time winding down before bedtime and shutting off the constant buzz running through your developing brains! If you find yourself lying awake in bed counting homework assignments, try working this relaxation exercise and the tips below into your bedtime routine:
When you get to bed, close your eyes and get comfy. Focus your attention on the parts of your body that feel uncomfortable. Take a deep breath, and as you breathe out, focus on relaxing each of those areas, one at a time. Take two deep breaths for every body part that you relax. Continue this deep and relaxed breathing.
Once your body is relaxed, clear your mind by focusing on pictures of numbers or letters. For example, picture the number 30 in your mind. Imagine that the number 30 is getting blown away by the wind, erased by a pencil eraser, or fades into invisibility. Then picture the number 29 appearing in a different color, size, shape, and handwriting than the number 30. Once you have the image in your mind, imagine the 29 getting erased in a different way. Continue picturing each number with lots of details, and imagining each one disappear until you get to the number 1. If you don’t fall asleep before you get to the number 1, your mind will be free of stressful thoughts and more ready for sleep.
Info from BeingGirl.com
