The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says an alarming number of Americans aren’t getting enough sleep. If you’re among those 1 in 3 people who are in serious need of a nap, Shawn Mendes has advice for you.

Shawn not only created a new Sleep Story for the Calm app, where he reads the story We Are Connected to help lull fans to sleep, he also shared what sends him off to dreamland.

“After a busy day, nighttime is a chance to reconnect with myself, get closer to what’s on my mind, and to disconnect from anything that’s going on that may be distracting me,” he explained, according to a release from Calm. 

One of those distractions, he notes, is his smartphone. “I do my best to put my phone away as I’m getting ready for bed and always have it set on Do Not Disturb,” Shawn said. “It can be easy to get sucked into a never-ending scroll, so by setting these boundaries I’m able to tune into my mind and body, and take back that time for myself.”

Shawn also explained that he uses nighttime to improve his mental health by meditating if he needs to “wind down.” He added, “Tuning back into my breath and reflecting on the day or what’s ahead is an important part of caring for my mental health.”

Shawn doesn’t discount a nice, warm shower to get him ready for bedtime. As for the one thing Shawn cannot go to sleep without, he says it’s an open window.

“I love to have the lights low in the house and open up my windows for a couple hours before bed, even if it’s chilly to get fresh air in the house,” he shared, adding it helps him “sleep better.”
Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.