Why Your Evening Habits May Be Holding You Back from Success and Happiness
Have you ever noticed how your thoughts and emotions carry over into your dreams depending on what you watch, read or listened to only an hour or two before? Researchers found that our brain's suggestibility is linked to its activity in the prefrontal cortex. Stay with me, it’s a lot simpler than what it sounds.
Your prefrontal cortex is the logical area of your brain and is responsible for things such as decision-making, planning, and personality expression. When it is less active, which tends to be in the evening, we become more suggestible to the messages and signals we receive.
In fact, studies have shown that people are more likely to be influenced by persuasive messages in the evening than during the daytime. This is because our brain is less able to filter out unwanted suggestions and influences because our logical mode is pretty much switching off as we go into a state of relaxation. As well as this, the brain produces less of the hormone cortisol in the evening, which is responsible for regulating stress. This means that we are more prone to stress and anxiety stimulations in the evening. An example of this would be, watching negative news or upsetting, triggering social media posts which may have a stronger impact on us in the evening than during the day.
Because of this, it's important to be mindful of what we expose ourselves to in the evening and particularly just before we go to bed when our subconscious mind is at its strongest.
Your subconscious mind is where you manifest your desires from, and if it is under stress it will be harder to make your dreams come true.
To maintain a positive mindset, reduce stress, and minimise attracting more negative circumstances and situations into your reality, try to avoid negative or disturbing content before bed. Instead, to read a books that help you unwind, listen to music that allows you to relax, or watch something uplifting or funny. By doing so, we can help our brain stay healthy and more resistant to unwanted influences.
The Importance of Being Mindful in the Evening
Given the vulnerability of your brain in the evening, it is essential to be mindful of the messages and influences you expose ourselves to, particularly at night. By being mindful of the content you consume, you ultimatley protect your mental and emotional wellbeing, as well as your energy, and maintain a sense of balance and harmony in your life.
Here are some important tips of how you can be mindful of what you consume of an evening.
1. Limit Your Exposure to Negative News
While it’s absolutely vital to stay updated with the latest news and events, it is equally important to be aware of the possible detrimental effects that excessive exposure to negative news can have on your mental health.
I always say, you can be informed without being inundated.
Swap the 6pm news for more positive activities such as journal, or reviewing your vision board, check in on a friend or purposely cook your dinner around that time so you miss it completely. Take whatever measures you need to minimise any unwanted stress on your mind or emotions.
2. Watch Your Screen Time
There’s a reason why many people cannot sleep after watching a horror movie just before bed. Apart from disrupting our sleep and the potential of leaving you feeling anxious and stressed, too much screen time in the evening can also lead to eye strain, headaches, and back pain. Therefore, it is important to be mindful of your screen time but even more so to be conscious of the type of content you are consuming since it has impact it can have on your mind and mental health.
One effective way to do this is by setting specific time limits for watching TV or using your phone or tablet. For instance, you might decide to limit your evening TV time to no later than 3 hours before bedtime, and restrict your social media scrolling to only 1 hour before you usually go to sleep. This will give you enough time to clear away any negative thoughts and emotions that might be triggered by the content you consume before bed.
3. Be Selective with Your Reading Material
If you enjoy reading before bed, there are a number of things you can do to ensure a restful and peaceful night's sleep. One is to be selective with the material you choose to read. Rather than reading books that are overly suspenseful or emotionally charged, choose books that help you relax and bring about a sense of calm instead.
It doesn’t have to be a self-help book either. Try fantasy, or a romance novel.
By making these simple changes, you keep your that you get the restful and undisruptive sleep your body needs to function at its best.
4. Practice Mindful Breathing
If you find yourself feeling anxious or stressed in the evening, practice mindful breathing to calm your mind and body. Take slow, deep breaths and focus on your breath as it enters and leaves your body. Listen to guided meditations and affirmation tapes. By doing this you can reduce stress and anxiety and bring a slower pace to your evening.
