There’s nothing
more frustrating than not being able to sleep. You can’t help tossing
and turning, counting down the hours until you wake up, and the million
thoughts running through your head, but they are doing anything but
help. When you find yourself experiencing exactly that; try these tips
to help.
Get up
Staying in bed when you have tried to fall asleep and can’t is only going to add to your frustration. When you are having difficulty trying to fall asleep, you begin to get agitated with your environment, so the best thing to do is simply get out of it. Try to relax in a different area, and only return to your bed when you feel you have reached a state of sleepiness.
Staying in bed when you have tried to fall asleep and can’t is only going to add to your frustration. When you are having difficulty trying to fall asleep, you begin to get agitated with your environment, so the best thing to do is simply get out of it. Try to relax in a different area, and only return to your bed when you feel you have reached a state of sleepiness.
Avoid technology:
When we can’t sleep we instinctively reach for our phones as a distraction and something to occupy our minds. The problem with technology is that instead of preparing us for sleep, it does the complete opposite and we end up giving ourselves too much stimulation. To sleep, we need to be able to effectively switch off, and playing on your phone is not going to allow you to do that easily.
When we can’t sleep we instinctively reach for our phones as a distraction and something to occupy our minds. The problem with technology is that instead of preparing us for sleep, it does the complete opposite and we end up giving ourselves too much stimulation. To sleep, we need to be able to effectively switch off, and playing on your phone is not going to allow you to do that easily.
Eliminate stress
One of the most common reasons for not being able to sleep is the stress that is on your mind. Making a mental map of all the things you feel are troubling you will allow you to address the problems that are keeping you awake. If you can, think of possible solutions and try to devise a way for the stresses to be eliminated.
One of the most common reasons for not being able to sleep is the stress that is on your mind. Making a mental map of all the things you feel are troubling you will allow you to address the problems that are keeping you awake. If you can, think of possible solutions and try to devise a way for the stresses to be eliminated.
If the stress you are feeling is something that you can’t do anything about, then your best bet is to try and distract yourself. While it’s easier said than done, you should do all you can to use your imagination and try to create scenarios in your head that leave you with happier thoughts, and tak
Make a hot drink
Hot milk and certain teas (such as Chamomile) are known for helping the body to relax and potentially induce sleep. Acting as a mild sedative, Chamomile effectively reduces anxiety and can help to relax the muscles, making it easier for your body to slip into a sleepy state. Read more about the effects of chamomile here
.
Try some yoga breathing
Yoga is a great way to release the tension in your body, and while you might not feel like doing yoga at 1am, there is a breathing technique you can do right from where you are. Created by sleep expert Andrew Weil, the 4-7-8 method is known for releasing internal tension and the mild anxieties that are keeping you from a peaceful nights sleep.
Try not to fall asleep
If all else fails then follow the advice of psychotherapist Julie Hirst (worklifebalancecentre.org) and try to do the exact opposite; challenge yourself to stay awake. We all know that the more we tell ourselves to fall asleep, the longer we stay awake, so use the same logic and do the complete opposite. It might just be what your stubborn mind needs.
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