Self love can be simply defined as regard for one’s own well-being and happiness, but it encompasses so much more than that. Self love is an an unconditional feeling of love, appreciation and acceptance for yourself.

First thing you need to do is be aware how you treat yourself. We all talk to ourselves in our minds, but we are not always fully conscious of that voice. Becoming conscious of your inner voice, paying attention to what it’s saying and noticing what you tend to tell yourself most often will help alter your mindset and change the way you view yourself. What do you say when you do something amazing? What do you say when you fail?

Learning to take control of this inner voice is the next step to combating negative thoughts that do not work towards self love. When you notice your inner voice saying things that are not positive, you can train yourself to cancel out these thoughts by repeating positive messages to yourself. Once you pause to realise what you are telling yourself is negative and in turn repeating positive messages over to yourself, in time you will begin believing all the positive things over the negative.

Finally, take the time to do something loving for yourself. Think of all the things you enjoy doing and do them by yourself. Some of these things include reading your favourite book, going for a walk or taking a dance class. They are simple things that you enjoy to allow you to feel relaxed and at peace within yourself. The more you practice acts of self love, the stronger the message you send yourself: “You deserve it”.

How you feel during your waking hours often hinges on how well you sleep. Similarly, the cure for daytime fatigue and sleep difficulties can often be found in your daily routine and lifestyle choices. Experiment with the following tips to find the ones that work best to improve your sleep and leave you feeling productive, mentally sharp, emotionally balanced, and full of energy all day long.

1. Try to go to sleep and get up at the same time every day
This helps set your body’s internal clock and optimize the quality of your sleep. Choose a bed time when you normally feel tired, so that you don’t toss and turn. If you’re getting enough sleep, you should wake up naturally without an alarm. Try to avoid sleeping in on the weekends also.

2. Move vigorously during the day
Regular exercisers sleep better and feel less sleepy during the day. Regular exercise also improves the symptoms of insomnia and sleep apnea and increases the amount of time you spend in the deep, restorative stages of sleep. Try to finish moderate to vigorous workouts at least three hours before bedtime. If you’re still experiencing sleep difficulties, move your workouts even earlier. Relaxing, low-impact exercises such as yoga or gentle stretching in the evening can help promote sleep. Try not to sit still during the day for more than an hour.

3. Be smart about what you eat and drink
Attempting to limit caffeine and nicotine, avoiding big meals at night, avoiding alcohol before bed and avoiding drinking too many liquids in the evening will all play a role with how well you sleep at night. Try to make dinnertime earlier in the evening, and avoid heavy, rich foods within two hours of bed.

4. Wind down and clear your head
Practicing relaxation techniques before bed is a great way to wind down, calm the mind, and prepare for sleep. For example, deep breathing where you close your eyes and take deep, slow breaths, making each breath even deeper than the last are proven to be beneficial. Also try Progressive muscle relaxation. Starting with your toes, tense all the muscles as tightly as you can, then completely relax. Work your way up to the top of your head.

5. Improve your sleep environment
Keeping your room dark, cool and quiet sends a powerful signal to your brain that it’s time to wind down and let go of the day’s stresses. If you can’t avoid or eliminate noise from neighbors, traffic, or other people in your household, try masking it with a fan or sound machine. Earplugs may also help. Make sure your bed is comfortable and attempt to not do things other than sleep on your bed such as computer work or watching tv, as your brain will then just associate the bed with sleep and make it easier for you to wind down.