Try this visualisation when you're awake thinking
Visualisation (or guided imagery) may help settle your mind at bedtime.
If your mind doesn’t slow down at night, and you’re lying awake thinking, here’s a technique that might help. Try taking your thoughts somewhere new with some soothing visualisation.
Also known as guided imagery, it is a relaxation technique that can help to reduce stress and promote a sense of calm.
The idea is to visualise a peaceful, relaxing place in your mind.
For example, you might visualise walking on the beach on a beautiful day.
Imagine the entire sensory experience, taking time to savour each moment.
The glisten of the water.
The sensation of the soft, warm sand between your toes.
The shrill cries of gulls overhead.
The faint taste of salt from the ocean spray.
The tangy smell of the sea air.
As you immerse yourself in the visualisation, your mind and body will relax into sleep.
Interested in trying a visualisation for yourself?
Here are some tips to keep in mind.
Visualisation works through simple distraction: you’re focusing your attention on something pleasant, instead of something stressful.
Evidence suggests that, by building a detailed, relaxing scenario in your imagination, your body will react as though the imagined experience is real. You are getting a similar benefit to the happy relaxation provided by an actual beach visit – without the risk of sunburn!
Once you create a visualisation, you can draw on it again and again during times of stress or anxiety. Think of it as a cue to relax.
Enjoy peaceful sleep by going to your new ‘happy place’ each evening.
Getting good sleep is essential for mental wellbeing. Find out why here and get our top expert tips on sleep.