How To Get Better Sleep
Sleep issues are extremely common (and frustrating) affecting between 50-70 million people in the US.
Not sleeping well can cause all sorts of issues from physical symptoms to mental health issues. Not to mention how it can contribute to overall irritability, fatigue, relational difficulties, and unhealthy habits.
It can also be tough to figure out not only how to get more sleep but how to get restful sleep that sets you up for the next day.
To help you create a better sleep hygiene routine, we’ve put together 6 things you can do now to help you sleep better (and wake up feeling like you did!).
1. Cut out potential culprits
Many of us may know that consuming caffeine close to bedtime can make sleep more difficult, but another contender we may not think of is alcohol.
Using alcohol as a sleep aid or having a “nightcap” before bed may help you relax or fall asleep faster in the first part of sleep, but your REM cycle suffers from it. Alcohol actually reduces rapid eye movement during your sleep cycle which is the restorative portion of our sleep cycle. A disruption in your REM cycle can cause difficulty with concentration and drowsiness during the day.
Alcohol can also cause breathing disruption and can even lead to pauses in breathing during the night which is extremely disruptive to your sleep.
Moral of the story: if you’re having sleep difficulties and you’re consuming caffeine late in the day, or alcohol before bed, do what you can to cut them out and take note of any changes.
If the ritual of consuming either of these (whether it be something like coffee or a drink at night) try decaf coffee or non-alcoholic beer etc. to allow you to have drinks you enjoy without the side effects that can contribute to insomnia.
2. Structure for better sleep
Our bodies operate in rhythms and creating a routine for catching quality zzz’s can drastically help your brain and body get in the “groove” with what’s happening next.
If you don’t have a bedtime routine already, try taking note of a few things you could do before bed to “wind down” and relax. Here are some ideas:
-Have a cup of (non-caffeinated) tea
-Create a step by step skincare routine
-Take a warm shower
-Have a soft robe or blanket you can cozy up in
-Practice mindfulness or breathwork
-Journal
-Read a (relaxing) book
-Listen to relaxing music
Along with implementing a few relaxing activities into your routine, try your best to go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time even when you’re typical schedule changes from the weekend or being out of town.
Do whatever you need to do in order to remind yourself to keep your new schedule. Find ways to change up your environment to reflect the habits you’re trying to create.
This could look like:
-Having a place you put electronics outside of your bedroom so they’re not as tempting to use before bed
-Putting caffeine or alcohol out of sight at night or getting rid of it altogether
-Turning your phone on airplane mode past a certain time
-Get an eye mask or blackout shades to block out light
-Get a cooling pad for your bed or fan
-Make sure your bed is actually supporting your sleep
3. CBT for sleep
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for sleep is proven to be one of the most effective treatments for tackling sleep issues.
CBT helps hone in on behaviors and thoughts that may be inhibiting you from a restful night’s sleep. With CBT you’ll learn tools that can help with relaxation that are personalized to what works best for you, while addressing any behavior or thought patterns that could be contributing to sleep issues as well.
CBT can also be utilized alongside sleep medication to help reduce insomnia. CBT has been proven to help uproot underlying causes for insomnia, oftentimes helping the client not have to continue to take sleeping medication in the long run.
It does take time, so don’t be discouraged if your sleep doesn’t significantly change right away, but with time CBT can help you create new thoughts and behaviors around sleep that you can tap into for a lifetime!
4. Don’t force it
Ever find yourself lying in bed trying to force yourself to fall asleep? Maybe you end up getting anxious because you know you need a good night’s sleep before the next day but the more you try the worse it gets?
A good rule of thumb is if you’ve been trying to sleep for 20 minutes, get up and do something (not involving electronics or bright lights) and then come back and try again. Another tip is to go to bed only when you feel sleepy to help train your mind and body to correlate the two together.
5. Change your mattress
I recently attended a panel where doctors and mental health professionals discussed sleep hygiene and one doctor, in particular, said “you’d be surprised how many patients I see who have been sleeping on the same mattress for years and have never thought it could be contributing to their sleep issues.”
He then said, “you have to create a sleep environment that is going to help you, so if you’re having sleep issues start with changing your mattress!”
Obviously, this may not be the sole cause of why you’re having difficulty sleeping, but again, when it comes to our sleep environment every change counts to making or breaking our sleeping habits.
5. Ask your doctor
If you’ve tried all of these tips and still find yourself in the same place, talking to your doctor if you haven’t already can be a good next step.
Your doctor can work with you to figure out what may be best for you to move forward with getting more quality sleep. Remember before you go to take note of how sleep issues are affecting your daily functioning. Keep notes on your routines including diet and exercise, caffeine and alcohol intake, and when you go to bed and wake up.
A practical way to do this is to use your notes app on your phone and update it daily with your sleep schedule and habits during the weeks leading up to your doctor’s appointment. If you have data on exactly what’s happening for you, your chances increase exponentially for your doctor to be able to help you (the same goes for your therapist!).
If you’re wanting to check out CBT for the first time, or are ready to get back into therapy, click below to get matched with a CBT-trained therapist that works best for you.
Better sleep is possible, reach out for help today.
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