Flex 1.0 Class 13 LCS Sample
CLASS 13 | GETTING MORE SLEEP
Teaches a simple relaxation strategy students can use to get a better night’s sleep.
TRAINER OVERVIEW
- Soothing musical selections from the TBH “Take a Breath” playlist, or a selection of your own choosing (optional)
- Music source and speakers, if using music
- Kirtan Kriya Meditation Worksheet, if teaching the “harder” version, enough for each student.
- Class 13 TBH Take This Home cards, enough for each student.
Expert Opportunity! Invite a colleague or volunteer with expertise in mindfulness or relaxation practices.
WELCOME TO CLASS
- Welcome everyone.
- Introduce the class topic.
Welcome to today’s class! Our topic is “Getting More Sleep.” We’re going to learn some ways we can get a good night’s sleep. I know this is information we can all use!
Our TBH Blueprint focus is the “Live with Your Brain in Mind” action point.
We will be working on the following thinking skills today:
- Attention
- Verbal Skills
- Visual Skills
- Memory
- Executive Control
Hand out the TBH Welcome Packet to all new students for a more complete introduction.
TBH LET'S GET IT STARTED
- Get everyone ready to learn with this seated toes-to-top
warmup. - Use the TBH music to set your pace, or choose your own.
We are going to start with a great warm-up for our bodies and brains called TBH Let’s Get It Started.
It is a wonderful way to get us ready to focus and learn together. We’ll do this right at our seats at the beginning of every class. Just watch what I do and follow along!
(At end of warmup) Great job, everyone! We are started up and ready to go!
FEET GET STARTED!
- Tap toes on both feet, up and down. 10 repetitions. Count together 1 to 10.
- Alternate toe taps. 10 repetitions. Count together using the alphabet A to J.
LEGS GET STARTED!
- Stamp feet on the ground, alternating feet. Make “noise” with group.
- Gently kick legs out from the knee, alternating legs. 10 repetitions. Count together from A to J.
- March in place, alternating legs. 10 repetitions. If your class is physically able to march in place safely while standing, you may choose that option. Count together from 1 to 10.
ARMS GET STARTED!
- Gently shake arms, open and close hands.
- Circle wrists a few times in clockwise and counterclockwise.
- Hold arms straight out in front, shoulder level, palms facing down. Slowly lower both hands to thighs and then raise them back to shoulder level. 5 repetitions. Count from 1 to 5.
- Shrug shoulders up and down, with hands on knees. 5 repetitions. Count from A to E.
VOICES GET STARTED!
- Say “OHHHHHHHHHH.” Have group say sound with you. Hold for a few seconds.
- Say “EHHHHHHHHHH.” Have group say sound with you. Hold for a few seconds.
- Say “AHHHHHHHHHH.” Have group say sound with you. Hold for a few seconds.
- Say “OH – EH – AH.” Hold each sound for a few seconds. 3 repetitions.
BREATH GETS STARTED!
- Slow focus to bring awareness to sitting still in chair.
- Take a deep breath in through the nose.
- Exhale out through the mouth.
- Give selves big hug, wrapping arms across waist and squeezing gently, as able.
- Thank selves and send some “TBH love” to our brains!
Click for the TBH Let’s Get It Started! complete guide.
LEARN THE TBH SCIENCE
Present the science behind the class.- Allow for brief discussion of the science with your students.
Sleep is so important for memory and brain health. There are lots of reasons. When we sleep well, we are able to pay better attention, to think more quickly and multi-task better. Sleep also matters to memory. Our brains consolidate new things we have learned during the day while we sleep.
Sleep becomes even more important when we get older. But it also can get harder to get enough of it. We often have to get up more during the night to go to the bathroom, for example. That interrupts our sleep. Some medications can interfere with sleep.
Sometimes those of us living with dementia can have a harder time getting a good night’s sleep. Memory loss can disrupt our natural sleep rhythms. Or we may lose track of time, making it harder to stick to a regular sleep routine. When we are not getting enough sleep, we can feel more stressed or anxious. And that also can make it harder to sleep well.
The good news is that we can help ourselves get a better night’s sleep. We can make sure we have a regular bedtime routine. We can go to bed around the same time each night. We can make sure our bedroom is a comfortable temperature and darkened. There should only be enough light for you to move safely if you need to get up. We can limit how much we drink before bed. That reduces the chances we will have to go to the bathroom during the night. Finally, we can do things before bed to help us relax and make it easier to fall asleep. We can use aromatherapy oils such as lavender to help with sleep. We can do gentle stretches to relax areas of our body where we hold lots of tension, such as our neck and upper back.
We can also use breathing exercises, like we do here at the end of each class, to help us relax and get to sleep more easily. This kind of breathing gets us to focus on one thing – our breath. When we do that, we pay less attention to the chatter of our minds that can keep us awake. We can even add to the breathing for a deeper level of focus or mindfulness. For example, we can add visualization, when we focus on an image while we breathe deeply.
NOW DO IT!
Have students explore a breathing mindfulness exercise.- Adapt as needed to include everyone as they are able.
We are going to try that together now. This exercise is called “Breathe into Your Heart.” It is a mindfulness or meditative exercise that uses the breath and visualization. It is the kind of exercise we can use to help us feel more relaxed when we are trying to fall asleep.
Let’s begin. Make sure you feel comfortable in your seat. Place both of your feet flat on the floor. Let your arms relax in your lap or on the arms of your chair. Close your eyes.
Begin to pay attention to your breath. Notice when you inhale. Notice when you exhale.
When you can see that everyone is situated comfortably and breathing in and out, say:
Now, imagine that every time you take a breath in, the air goes straight to your heart as if you’re filling up a balloon in your chest.
Allow class enough breaths to get into the rhythm of this. Then say:
Next, picture something in your mind that makes your feel wonderful. It can be someone you love. It can be an object that you enjoy looking at or holding. It could be a place where you feel safe and happy. Picture it in your mind as you continue to breathe into your heart. Make the picture in your mind as clear as possible, like a photograph.
Now I want you to continue, expanding your heart with your breath, picturing this special thing in your mind’s eye. Go at your own pace, feeling at ease and relaxed.
Allow class to do this for several minutes before bringing them out of the exercise.
Now I’d like you to slowly become more aware of the room around you. As you take another breath, open your eyes and look around the room. Bring your awareness back to our group, and to being here together.
How do you feel right now? What thoughts or feelings come to mind?
I hope you found the “Breathe into Your Heart” meditation helpful. You can do this exercise anytime you feel stressed or you’re trying to go to sleep.
- Lead your class in this workout to personalize their learning of the science.
- Guide your class through the following steps of the Breathe Into Your Heart meditation.
- Play soft instrumental music as background for this workout (optional).
- Be sure to speak slowly and clearly as you provide each step.
- Lead your students in a discussion of their experience with the meditation exercise.
- When repeating this class, suggest returning students try a new visualization, or teach the Kirtan Kriya meditation.
- Make It Harder. Teach the Kirtan Kriya meditation in addition to the Breathe Into Your Heart meditation.
- Make It Easier. Discuss and have each participant choose a visual image of a heart to picture as they breathe. If needed, remind them of their image as they do the exercise.
- One-to-One Delivery. Do the Breathe Into Your Heart meditation together. Take advantage of the additional time working one-to-one allows you to personalize and practice. Try the provided Kirtan Kriya meditation.
- Virtual Delivery. Encourage distance learners to follow along.
TBH TAKEAWAY
Share this brief wrap-up to end the workout.- Distribute the TBH Take This Home card for this class.
- Ask students to share how they feel after today’s class.
I hope you all enjoyed learning about why sleep is important to our brain health and trying a breathing technique we can use to help ourselves relax and get a better night’s rest.
Here is a TBH Take This Home card for this class. It will remind you what we learned together today. This card has instructions to help you practice the Breathe Into Your Heart meditation on your own.
What is one thing you will try from today’s lesson to help yourself sleep better?
TBH TAKE A BREATH
- Lead this cooldown exercise to end class.
- Use the TBH music to set your pace, or choose your own.
Let’s wrap up with “TBH Take a Breath.” Being mindful and sharing some positive thoughts gives us a chance to think about what we have learned together and how we can use it in our daily lives. Research shows that mindfulness practices like this supports brain health when living with dementia. And it is a wonderful way to end our time in class together.
- Have students get comfortable, resting both feet flat on the floor, hands resting in their laps.
- Have students close their eyes and keep them gently closed.
- Ask students to focus their attention on their breathing, noticing the rate and rhythm of their breath. Allow them to focus on their natural breathing for a few moments.
- Instruct students to begin rhythmic breathing. Ask them to inhale slowly and deeply through their nostrils, breathing gently into their chest and belly. Then ask them to exhale slowly through their lips, slowing the rate and rhythm of their breath.
- Have students continue rhythmic breathing, instructing them to continue to focus on gently and slowly inhaling and exhaling, allowing their attention to simply “ride” the wave of their breath. Allow them to focus on rhythmic breathing for several moments.
- Offer the following positive affirmation statements below in a calm, slow voice. Invite students to simply listen, repeat the phrase silently to themselves, or to think about what each statement means to them.
I feel relaxed.
I am grateful for my breath.
I am grateful for my imagination.
I am grateful I can care for my body.
I am grateful for myself.
- Pause for several moments.
- End the exercise by inviting students to bring their awareness back to the room, gently opening their eyes and becoming more aware of their surroundings.
- Invite them to end practice with gratitude for taking a moment for themselves, for the chance to learn together and connect with each other.
Click to open the TBH Take A Breath complete guide.
COMING UP NEXT!
- Thank students for attending the class.
- Invite students to join you for the next TBH class.
Thank you for joining me today. I am happy that we can support each other and help each other stay well.
I look forward to seeing you for our next Total Brain Health Class!
CLASS RESOURCES
NOW DO IT! WORKSHEETS
Provide your students with the following worksheets for the in-class exercise.
Kirtan Kriya Meditation Worksheet. Use this worksheet as a supplemental resource or if you do the harder variation of this Now Do It! exercise, or as an optional handout.
TBH TAKEAWAY HANDOUTS
Download and provide your students with the following handouts.
Class 13 TBH Take This Home Card. Use the Class 13 TBH Take This Home cards for the TBH Takeaway closing activity. Print out enough copies of the cards so that each class member has one to take home. Print the cards two-sided and in color. Cut them apart. If possible, laminate the cards for easier handling and durability. If you’d like, punch a hole in the card and provide a small mountable hook so students can keep the cards in a visible spot at home.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
National Sleep Foundation. A good resource for additional resources on sleep science and improving sleep hygiene.
Staying Healthy with Sleep. Alzheimer’s Society. This website offers sound, practical tips on getting a better night’s sleep for persons with dementia.
