I will be one of the first to admit that I do not always practice what I teach, aka I tell clients how to get better sleep, yet do all of the things I tell them NOT to do. There is a smarTV (pretty great internet access, lots of viewing options) in my bedroom. I have full access to the internet on not one, but TWO, phones (thanks, HIPAA, for needing that extra phone); a laptop; have an e-book reader; and an Alexa Dot in my bedroom.
My sleeping place is a technological minefield. 

Even my home office is filled with technology – the desktop I’m currently using to write this, yet another Alexa Dot, and a really cool printer/copier/scanner, as well as the two phones previously mentioned that tend to be attached at my hip most days. Technology is a wonderful tool that can also be hindrance. Internet use and TV viewing can lead to later bedtimes and later rising times. For myself, this is definitely true: reading a book on my e-reader often means realizing it’s after 3am, and I have to be up around 8am, so I’m losing sleep.

The biggest difference between what I teach and what I practice, is that I do not use my bed as a sleeping only place (for adult and older teen clients, I include sexual acts as being part of the bed/sleep place). I read, I use my phone(s), I knit, I watch TV, and a whole slew of other non-sleeping activities go on in my bed. Thus, my body does not always recognize that the bed is for sleep (and sex). My brain registers it as a soft place to do all sorts of cool things, but not necessarily sleep.

So my goal in the coming weeks is to adjust my mindset and make the bed a place for sleep (and sex). How will I accomplish that? No more reading in bed at night. All technology will be put away/not interacted with once I’m in the bed. I will admit, it won’t be easy, but it will be beneficial for my health in the long run (more on that in another blog post).

Until next time, keep up the good work!