When Stress Makes Sleep Hard Try These 5 Easy Steps

Another way to help fight stress before bed and in general, though, is to add little shots of joy into your nightlife, says Vibay Chandran Weisbecker, a mindfulness coach who does technical program management for Mindbody, which does research and has data on fitness and wellness studios around the world. One easy way to do this is by just asking yourself as you drift off: “What is one thing tomorrow that’s going to bring me joy?” he says. “This may reduce stress and give you a reason to get out of bed and feel passionate the next day, making you more ready to go to sleep.” You can also infuse these joy shots throughout the day by finding small ways to connect with things you love, whether that’s taking a short walk or calling your best friend while you commute. You can also try this by checking out the BIG JOY Project — created by top happiness researchers at Harvard, UC Berkeley, and 15 other universities — which involves trying a different happiness-triggering micro-act for seven minutes a day for seven consecutive days, and then working to continue any of the practices that you enjoyed on a regular basis.