Stressful thoughts activate the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) or fight/flight response in your body. The SNS works against sleep by making you feel alert and ready for action. (For more information, see Stress Response article on Home Page).
Worry, anxiety, frustration, anger are all examples of emotions that activate the SNS. It is interesting to note that when you struggle with long term sleep issues, your thoughts and worries about sleep and fatigue, will frequently become a primary stressor in creating those ongoing issues. It can become a viscious cycle.
If you are frequently kept awake by stressful thoughts and worries, here are some ideas that may help you:
- Unplug! You can do this. Try to unplug two hours prior to sleep. The type of light you get from electronics, such as computers, TV’s, phones, ipads and tablets, can interfere with your sleep-wake cycles.
- As much as possible, set up regular times to get up and go to bed.
- Your bedroom should be a place that is calm and relaxing and conducive to sleep.
- Use techniques that are stress relievers during the day. Breaking up the escalation of stress during the day can be very helpful. (Go to Store for Relax and Breathe, Vol 1 & 2) Both are CD’s of short relaxation exercises created for this purpose.)
- Exercise every day. Exercise is a great way to rid yourself of unhealthy, destructive emotions. Keep in mind that aerobic activity right before bed may be too stimulating.
- Avoid caffiene, sugar and nicotene before bedtime. They are all stimulants and may interfere with ability to relax and sleep.
- Avoid big, heavy meals too close to bedtime. Digestion of large amounts of food can make you feel uncomfortable and keep you awake.
- Limit your intake of alcohol right before bedtime. It may help you fall asleep, but it disturbs deep, restful sleep and causes wakefulness in the latter half of the night.
- Set up pre-sleep rituals. Establishing new habits and routines before bed, can help you break out of that cycle of worrying about sleep and fatigue actually causing sleeplessness. An hour or so before bedtime, begin to wind down from the day. Decrease your level of activity. Do neutral activities, those things that promote quiet and calm. Warm baths, personal grooming, reading, story time, relaxation exercises, cultivating feelings of gratitude, spending quality quiet time with your partner, prayer are all examples of pre-sleep or neutral activities.
Try any or all of these ideas and let me know how you do.
Good luck and sweet dreams.
Take care,
Kate
