By Erin Hawkins, Registered Psychologist
You toss and turn but you can never get comfortable. Your mind races as you think about stress at work, family issues or concern over finances. You keep checking the clock to discover the minutes and hours ticking by. Ugh…in four hours you have to face a brand new day.
Most of us can relate to getting a poor night’s sleep at times, but when occasional sleepless nights turn into sleepless weeks or months, you have a new problem. It’s not just frustrating or a nuisance anymore; it’s about being unable to function. Perhaps you notice you’re more irritable with your spouse, you’re nodding off behind the wheel of your car, or your boss is threatening to fire you for your high error rate at work.
You may be suffering from insomnia. Insomnia is “difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep, or non-restorative sleep, for at least one month.”1 It affects your ability to function in important areas of your life, such as social situations, work or school. The disruption to your sleep isn’t better explained by another problem such as depression, anxiety or substance use.
So what can you do if you are suffering from insomnia? The good news is there are plenty of strategies to help.2
- Set a bedtime routine. A bedtime routine helps prompt your body that it’s time to sleep. For instance, have a cup of hot tea, brush your teeth and crawl into bed at the same time each night.
- Relax. Practicing relaxation exercises before bed helps your body to transition from “go” mode to “sleep” mode. Some exercises to try are deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation or guided imagery.
- Use bed for sleeping. Avoid using your bed for activities that keep your mind “Active,” such as playing games, texting or watching television.
- Avoid certain substances. Things like caffeine, alcohol and nicotine can interfere with a good night’s sleep. Instead, try a cup of non-caffeinated tea or hot milk before bed.
- Schedule a worry period. If worrying about work, relationships or money keeps you up at night, try scheduling a “worry period” earlier in the day. When worries arise outside of this period, put off thinking about them until the designated time.
- Get back to light. Spending time outdoors to get natural light each day helps to regulate your body’s sleep and wake cycles.
- Stay active. Research shows that people who exercise tend to sleep better. Thirty minutes of exercise three times per week is recommended. Don’t exercise right before bed as this is can keep you up.
Please note that health information on this website is for educational purposes and is not intended to replace advice from your physician or other healthcare professionals.
References
1 American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition Text Revision, American Psychiatric Association, Arlington, VA, 2000.
2 Anxiety BC, “Getting a Good Night’s Sleep,” < http://www.anxietybc.com/sites/default/files/SleepHygiene.pdf > accessed on October 30, 2013.
