Beat insomnia with these tips
The Cleveland Clinic – November 20, 2020
1. Keep your sleep schedule the same
Going to bed early or sleeping in to catch up only leads to more fragmented and poor quality sleep. Typically, you go to bed two hours early and then just lay there wide awake, continuing to associate your bed with not sleeping.
2. Take some quiet time before bedtime
Give yourself at least 30 minutes of quiet, relaxed time before bed as a buffer. Nix phone screen time and replace it with reading a book, listening to calming music, taking a warm bath or having some decaffeinated herbal tea.
3. Distract yourself if you can’t sleep
If you can’t fall asleep, get up and try to restart by doing something to distract yourself before going back to bed.
“It could be flipping through magazines, calming yoga stretches or some type relaxing hobby like knitting or coloring,” she says.
While it may be tempting to grab your phone off your nightstand, don’t. The blue light emitted from your phone or tablet screen can inhibit your natural melatonin production.
4. Learn how to relax
Learning relaxation techniques such as meditation, guided imagery and progressive muscle relaxation can go a long way in helping you fall asleep.
A sleep specialist can help you learn this as well as ways to calm your mind and your muscles and reduce or eliminate all the racing thoughts and worries. Dealing with stress in a healthy way is important for not only sleep, but your overall health, too.
5. Keep a sleep log
“Track the details of your sleep patterns and lifestyle habits,” she says. “This can help you see trends in your behavior and will be useful when you discuss your insomnia with your doctor or a sleep disorder specialist. “
Or try smartphone apps or your smartwatch to help you keep a log. Read more.
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