Thanks Mike! This is very helpful.
I normally read my book on my right side... and lay there for a moment after I closed my book, but then I rolled over to my left side and fell asleep straight away.
I did wake after 4 hours though, which was frustrating, and basically drifted in and out of sleep for the next 5 hours.... so I've woken up feeling very groggy and fatigued, and probably didn't hit REM properly.
I've decided that I won't eat after 6pm, and I go to bed at 10pm... so I'm getting a good 4 hours of no-eating before bed... so thanks for that advice, glad I'm on the right track.
I've never heard of the breathing with the belly while keeping the chest still... I'll have to try it out next time I struggle to sleep.
Thanks for all of this! Super appreciate it!
Indeed!
Also from an Ayurvedic perspective (which I recently started studying), the belly breathing is considered the "kapha dosha" breathing, that is the "most relaxed one" across Doshas (fundamental constitutive types). This also helps the diaphragm to move and get relaxed, helping energies moving more freely in the body.
Aside that all what you are doing is good. Take care of not "somatizing" eventual stress you have during the day, as that would become partially unconscious, and it would be a little bit harder to remove afterwards. In general, it will be great if you observe yourself how you react to different things in your life and that will create an awareness filters of what will really go into your subconscious.
Thank you for the appreciation. Very glad to support (and hopefully help)