mlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>

If you are having trouble reading this email, read the online version. Health tips: 3 ways to relax your brain before bed Dear Reader, March is National Sleep Awareness Month. As busy as we are these days, sleep often seems like an afterthought. However, sleep is as fundamental to our health and well-being as fresh air, clean water and nutritious food. Evidence indicates that one of the behaviors most strongly associated with poor sleepers is the habit of ruminating about important matters at bedtime or right after getting into bed. Finding ways to clear your mind at bedtime can produce substantial sleep improvement. Here are three techniques to try: Gratitude practice. I like to practice a ritual of being thankful for three things at the end of my day before I go to sleep. This increases optimism and, if practiced regularly, reduces the risk of heart attack after a few years. Focusing on gratitude also relaxes me and helps me forget about the things I didn't get accomplished that day. Mindfulness meditation. This stress-reduction technique is simple and effective. The idea is to cultivate an acute awareness of the present moment and to let go of everything else. Focusing your awareness onto the sensations of becoming at rest — the sinking of your body into the bed, the softness of your pillow, the slowing of your breath — and keeping it there helps to dissipate stressful thoughts. Schedule worry time. If worries about work, school, family or other concerns keep you awake at night, try to deal with them before bedtime. Set aside a dedicated time when you write down your concerns and then brainstorm possible solutions. Sleep rejuvenates us, rests us, replenishes our energy and immune systems, and restores our mental sharpness. So don't put off sleep any longer — seize the night! Go from living to thriving Healthy choices made daily play a huge role in keeping our internal systems healthy and in balance. Get this resource Thanks for joining our mailing list, newsletter@newslettercollector.com, for Mayo Clinic Press email communications. Remove me from this list | Customer Service | MCPress.MayoClinic.org Mayo Clinic 200 First St. SW | Rochester, MN 55905 Copyright 2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved.