Need help getting a good night's rest? Here is what I found and compiled. Maybe we can sleep better together.
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| Courtesy of Acme Mind Clinic |
Anxiety rises and sleep becomes elusive. Need help? I'm pretty sure everyone does. We could all do with a better sleep schedule when life kicks us in the back end. Today we dive into what you can do to sleep well.
Sleep Schedule
What? A consistent sleep schedule is needed? Gasp! Most of us don't really have it. It is easy to forget your body works better on a consistent timer. Ideally, it should be no more than 8 hours of sleep, but at least 7 hours are necessary. Get up and go to bed at the same time if possible. Consistent timing reinforces your sleep-wake cycle. This includes weekends, you night owls.
What if you don't fall asleep within 20 minutes? Easy, go do something relaxing, like reading or listening to music (relaxing music, look on youtube for ASMR or music compilations). Once tired go back to bed. Don't just stare at a clock or it'll stress you more.
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Irregular sleep patterns can lead to odd dreams, too. In my case, it causes sleep paralysis dreams to happen more often. It can develop a good mental alarm to keep your sleep schedule on a consistent basis. Your alarm could be obsolete after you get your natural rhythm going.
Creating a ritual for sleep makes a difference in all ages. I will turn off any laptop activity a half hour before bed. During college, I'd quit doing homework at 10:30 pm and hit the sack no matter what was done or wasn't. Lowering lights may put your brain in sleep mode, too.
Food Choices Matter
Don't go to bed overly full or hungry. Don't have a heavy meal within a couple hours of bedtime. Nicotine, coffee, and alcohol should be cautioned, as those take hours to wear off.
Late in the day is not the time for caffeine. Even 6 hours before bed it keeps you up. At 3 or 4 pm you might want to not drink it. Decaf is okay in the evening, obviously, but save the regular coffee for your wake-up call.
While we're talking about drinks, alcohol isn't a good thing to drink before bed. It disrupts circadian rhythm. Late-night snacks, however, may help depending on the snack it is. Drinking anything before bed doesn't help. At 1 to 2 hours before bed stop drinking. Go to the bathroom before going to bed, so you'll not have to get up at night.
Chocolate is one thing you shouldn't have right before bed. I know that sounds weird, but caffeine is in chocolate. I didn't know that until I researched this blog. Now you know too. Acidic and spicy foods may want to be avoided, as well.
Atmosphere Of Sleep
The idea is to keep it cool, dark, and quiet. Light exposure wakes your body up. If needed masks are made for sleeping and ear plugs for sleep exist. Turn a fan on if it gets too hot (if you have one). Temperature does impact your sleep. Too cold and you freeze, then too hot and you can't sleep at all.
Calming activities return for the win! Do yourself a huge favor and do something rather calming before bed. A nice bath, a book, anything that isn't device related, and even some sleep apps will help you transition to sleep mode mentally. Try to have as few devices lit in the room as possible. Cover bright lights. You can add peaceful aromas to your bedroom if it helps you.
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That reminds me, get off your screens and avoid blue light before bed. I like to stop gaming or using my computer an hour or half an hour before bed. Blue light can be blocked by glasses made to block blue light. You can also download an app to shut off the blue light on your device. TV being shut off two hours before bed may be a good idea.
Make sure you have a good mattress and pillow to sleep on. It matters what level of comfort you have. Lower back pain can happen if you don't. It is recommended you replace the bedding after 5 to 8 years. The bed should also be reserved for only sleep (and if married, sex) so that your brain only associates it with those two things.
Don't Nap For Long
Yes, you are exhausted, but if you nap late in the day or for more than one hour it will hit your sleep cycle. It will throw it off. This is only if you don't work nights. It may actually be necessary to nap a bit before work to make up for lack of sleep if you do work nights.
This is also based on the individual case, as some don't have disrupted sleep when used to long naps. It all depends on you.
Daily Routine
Do you take walks, dance Zumba, play sports, or do any type of exercise daily? You might want to add it to your routine, even if it means you merely take a walk on your lunch break. Why? It helps you sleep better, provided you don't do it right before bed. Outdoors also promote good sleep. I know I sleep better while camping.
Expose yourself to sunlight and bright lights during your day, which promotes your circadian rhythm. It can give you more energy, too, which means you should go walk in the park.
Also, don't smoke. It is bad for you in general and does have a habit of causing sleep issues. Nicotine is bad. Sleep is good.
Deal With Your Stress
Before bedtime deal with your stresses. Put a journal by your bed and jot down anything that needs brain dumped (or the tasks that need doing that come to mind). A full mind will stay awake and keep you from falling asleep. A bath or shower before bed works, too. A foot bath alone ups the probability you can sleep well.
Stress management can be organizing your thoughts to prioritizing what is really worth your time. Taking a moment to deal with your emotions is worth its weight in gold. Prayer before bed is one way that works for me and my husband.
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Get Help
If none of this aids your sleep you may need a professional. No shame. Go talk to someone and get medical help. Some people actually need melatonin and other sleep medication. Sleep apnea or other disorders can disrupt sleep cycles all the time. Nightmares may require counseling. Maybe they can indicate anxiety disorders, too, but that may be a myth.
Some supplements that can help you include Melatonin, ginkgo biloba (250 mg half hour to an hour before bed), glycine (3 grams), valerian root (500 mg before bed), magnesium, L-theanine (100-200 mg before bed), lavender (80-160 mg). Only one at a time! Get a professional's advice, too, and don't just trust I've got the right sources! Doctors can advise you better.
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