I fall asleep sometimes in my daytime clothes.
Waking up in the middle of the night, I put on pajamas and fall asleep again. The second part of my sleep is more relaxing than the first.
1. Getting a Good Night’s Sleep Starts from the Day.
In the Talmud (Tractate / Masechet Berachot) it talks about dreams. Dreams can be prophetic or they can be things that a person thinks about during the day.
A person who reads scary books or watches scary videos may have nightmares at night. Seeing things unbecoming also causes one to think about them at night.
Thus, best to avoid those things. There is a Segula / Amulet to saying “Eliyahu HaNavi” 72 Times before sleep to help a person clear their bad thoughts. It also prevents one from becoming a Baal Keri / בעל קרי.
2. Don’t Ingest Caffeine
Coke, Caffeine Tea or Coffee make and acidic things – like Orange Juice at night may make it difficult to fall asleep.
3. Avoid Stress or anything that might cause you an Emotional Outburst
When one has stress or concerns, it makes a person anxious and less likely to fall asleep. Remember G-d is in control and he does all for the good of the person.
4. Finish Unfinished Tasks
– Have a report or homework to do? Finish them before sleep.
5. Take some time to learn Torah –
Learning Torah calms and provides joy for a person.
6. Put on Pajamas
Pajamas should be comfortable. I like 100% cotton and loose pajamas that cover the body, arms and legs. Wearing short sleeves or short pants sometimes makes a person uncomfortable – because a person has a natural tendency to want to be covered – due to modesty. Adam, the first man, felt uncomfortable when he saw he was uncovered and took leaves to cover himself. I think this is also the reason a person, in general, wants to sleep with a cover.
7. Say Shema
Saying Shema Yisrael (found in Prayer Books) allows a person to destroy evil spiritual forces.
Sit up in Bed.
Some say the only the first paragraph. Some say the Kriyat Shema found in Prayer book.
For Kids Say :
– Shema Yisrael … / Hear Oh Israel
– Torah Tziva Lanu Moshe… / The Torah Moshe Commanded Us ..
– Hamalach Hagoel … / The Angel that Redeems …
Reciting Shema before sleep, Prevents People from having Nightmares.
8. Go in Bed
Get into a comfortable position. Men sleep on their left sides to start to aid digestion and wake on their right side.
9. Turn Off Light
Sleeping with the light on may disturb sleep. If one needs light, a night light will usually do. Or have a lamp next to bed to reed and to turn off before sleep. On Shabbat or Holidays one may use the Shabbat Lamp available in some Jewish Books stores. One does not turn off the light. One just covers the light.
10. Review Your Day
Think of the good you did and things you could have done things better. This is called Chesbon HaNefesh / Accounting of the Soul. When you commit to becoming better, it is the first step in becoming better. You go to sleep as a better person.