Sleep… where are you?
Ahh, sleep. Our good friend and also sometimes our mortal enemy. Sleep is such a crucial part of our every day lives. We know that getting a good amount of healthy sleep has amazing benefits for our health. According to health.gov, sleep can help us to get sick less often, maintain a healthy weight, lower our risk for serious health issues, reduce stress, think clearly, and many others. With all those benefits in mind, it would be great if we all just regularly got 8 uninterrupted hours of sleep every night… right? Well, I don’t know about you, but I don’t actually remember the last time I got 8 straight hours of sleep (though in my defense, I have two tiny humans in my house that tend to make that a little tricky).
Well, I feel tired and I want to sleep. But why can’t I fall asleep?
Sleep disturbances can be caused by a variety of things, including certain mental health conditions and even medical concerns. However, sometimes our own habits can make it difficult for us to get those much sought-after ZZZs. Things like drinking too much caffeine, taking naps during the day, or feeling overly stressed can make it difficult to sleep. So what we can we do? Here are some ways you can make small changes that can help you start to get a good night’s rest.
Tip #1. Go easy on the caffeine
Like I mentioned above, caffeine is often a culprit of poor sleep. It can sometimes become a cycle of poor sleep = feeling tired = increased caffeine = poor sleep = feeling tired, etc. Try to limit your caffeine intake to no more than 1-2 servings per day and be sure to avoid caffeine in the evenings or near bedtime.
Tip #2. Avoid daytime naps
This one is hard to avoid when you’re feeling exhausted from not sleeping at night! However, trying to avoid naps during the day could potentially help you feel more tired in the evening and therefore more likely to fall asleep at night. If you absolutely can’t avoid taking a nap, limit it to nor more than 30-45 minutes. You can set an alarm to help wake you up and ensure you don’t end up sleeping for 3-4 hours!
Tip #3. Put down your cell phone/tablet/e-reader/laptop/tv
Most of us more than likely use one of these right before we go to bed. We could be watching our favorite tv show, catching up on work, reading, or scrolling through social media (or in my case, TikTok). However, research has shown that the blue light emitted from our electronic devices can actually delay the body’s release of melatonin (the hormone that causes sleepiness). So, put that phone down and maybe grab a good old-fashioned paper book and catch up on your favorite story (if you’re into the weird/interesting, Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World is one of my all-time favs).
Tip #4. Create a bedtime routine
You’ve probably heard of the old adage that babies benefit from having a bedtime routine – the bath, bottle, story combo is supposed to help babies sleep better. However, it’s not the specific activities themselves that are helpful, although taking a bath is often pretty relaxing. The routine is what does the trick here. When we engage in the roughly same behaviors each night, it signals to our brain that it’s time to start releasing melatonin because we’re more than likely headed to bed soon. Setting up a time that you feel comfortable with, followed by whatever else you’d like to include in your routine (think brushing your teeth, showering, moisturizing, reading a book) can help bring on sleep over time.
Tip #5. Create the right environment
Is your sleep space set up for sleep? Or is it too bright and possibly too noisy? Room-darkening shades/curtains and a noise machine can go a long way in creating an environment conducive for sleep. Making sure you have adequate covers in case you know have a tendency to get cold at night or just the right amount in case you tend to get too hot can also make a big difference.
Tip #6. Mindfulness, oh mindfulness
Since we know stress can be a culprit of poor sleep, it’s not a bad idea to try to do a little decompressing at night to help bring on a sense of calm. Mindfulness meditation exercises encourage us to remain present-focused, which in turn can help alleviate stress about things we probably can’t control at bedtime anyway. These are phenomenal, simple exercises and there are a variety of really great guided options available on YouTube.
These can all be helpful tips for getting some good sleep. However, if you’re experiencing sleep issues related to a mental health concern, it’s just as important to talk to someone and address those as well. Otherwise, it may end up creating a cycle of poor sleep since the underlying concern isn’t actually being addressed. If you’d like to talk more about your sleep issues or want some more in depth-tips, feel free to reach out to me by visiting the Contact page on this website.
And as always, be kind to yourself.
Sincerely,
Ayleen
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