Lately, in my work as a psychotherapist, I keep encountering clients who are experiencing some form of insomnia. Does this sound like you?
Are you one of those people for whom sleep is the coveted holy grail?
For many of us, our daily routines are thrown off because of confinement. Also, the things we might normally be doing for exercise may not be happening or happening in our homes and at different times.
It is worth noting here that cortisol plays a very important role in waking and sleeping. Cortisol is a stress hormone. We release it in the morning usually and it helps our metabolism, and other immune functions. When we go into fight or flight, our cortisol levels get a little wonky. Many of us will release cortisol at night which, since it can be stimulating, will keep us awake. This throws our sleep patterns off. So the trick here is to keep the body in rest and digest or the parasympathetic nervous system.
We are creatures of habit. Our bodies love routines. This helps the nervous system calm down. Sleep is closely linked to this. Here are few things to do to help you sleep:
1) NO SCREENS- Ok this seems obvious but you would be surprised by how many people use screens right before bed. Screens are stimulating and you are trying to be less stimulated. So try reading a book or doing a body scan instead. Set a time curfew on screens; nothing past 8pm.
2) Nothing in bed but sleeping. Just like little children, we need to sleep train ourselves. You need to train your body to associate bed with sleep. If you can’t sleep, get out of bed and go to a chair or couch and read until you get sleepy. Then go back to bed.
3) Write down your thoughts. If you can’t sleep because of ruminating thoughts, keep a journal or notepad handy so you can write them down when they arise. This will help you “put” those thoughts somewhere and free up your mind to settle into sleep.
4) Have a bedtime ritual: maybe a cup of tea or a warm shower. Just make sure you are consistent with this ritual. This will help your body make the transition from awake to sleep.
5) Pay attention to the foods you are eating. Caffeine is very stimulating-coffee, black tea and chocolate will keep you awake. Look for warm and mild foods and calming teas.
6) Get moving. Have you ever noticed you get the best sleep after a long hike? This is because exercise really does wear us out both physically and mentally. Exercise is a win win for body and mind when it comes to sleep!
As a general rule we all require at least 8 hours of sleep. Sleep is really important to our longevity. During sleep our cells renew themselves. So now is the time to start really paying attention to your good or bad sleep habits. Some people actually have brains which have adapted to very little sleep. Their sleep cycles happen differently. These folks can get 3 hours of sleep and be really refreshed the next day. But that is the exception not the rule and if you are getting 3 hours and are still really tired you need more sleep!
I hope this is helpful. What are your tips and tricks for combating insomnia? Join the discussion by making your contribution in the comments below!