It can be difficult to get back to sleep after awakening during the night as you become too anxious to enjoy dreamland once again. More frustration arises as you stare at the clock watching your precious sleep time drift away.
For the occasional bout of insomnia that we all get at times, try these tips shared by The Huffington Post to put an end to obsessing over sleep at 4 a.m.:
- Don’t stay in bed: It is important not to lie in bed any longer than 15-20 minutes when you can’t sleep because it breaks the association between your bed and sleep, possibly leading to more insomnia problems. Leave your bedroom to spend time doing a relaxing, non-stimulating activity. Try reading a magazine, doing the dishes, taking a warm bath or listening to soothing music.
- Practice relaxation techniques: Try learning calming yoga poses, mindfulness and other forms of meditation, as you focus on loosening your muscles and the rise and fall of your breathing. Visualization, the “mental distraction technique,” can also be effective. By picturing yourself some place, you aren’t focusing on the fact that you can’t sleep.
- Let go of your anxiety: Obsessive thoughts about a big meeting, your bank account, and social ties can have you up for hours. Try keeping a worry journal, setting a time to write in it a couple of hours before bed and close the book on those thoughts. If you are worried about something happening the next day, don’t count down to it, turn your clock around and visualize a relaxing, positive scene.
- Be careful with medications: If you need to go this route, proceed with caution. Make sure that you are taking the medication early enough to sleep it off, taking it to close to your wake up time will lead to grogginess. Additionally, never use over-the-counter medications as a long term option, and always check with a doctor to ensure you aren’t causing a synergistic effect with other medications you are taking.
- Consult with a doctor: If your lack of sleep is becoming the norm, don’t hesitate to see a doctor immediately. A lack of sleep does affect your daytime behavior and can place yourself and others in danger, especially when it comes to driving.
Consistently getting quality sleep leads to better health, more happiness and higher levels of productivity in all areas of your life! We at Gallery Furniture want you to be your best! Turn off those lights and get to bed early tonight!
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