I had trouble getting to sleep last night. Does that ever happen to you? Is it a challenge, sometimes, to set aside the day and settle yourself into sleep?
One of the most challenging things about insomnia is the way that it can snowball.
First you may be sleepless because of a worry about a work project or a family member or a health issue or the state of the world … Then, you notice that you are having trouble getting to sleep, and you gradually become worried about the sleeplessness itself. That, in turn, makes it much more difficult to fall into sleep. Once it gets going, this is an extremely difficult cycle to break!
Here are 3 quick tips that I have found very helpful for breaking through that cycle of sleeplessness:
- At the first sign of trouble sleeping, don’t panic. Relax your body and focus on your breathing. Breathe in. Breathe out. Let your thoughts come and go as you do when meditating. This can help you let go and let sleep come.
- If this doesn’t help and you’re still tossing and turning, get out of bed, pick up your notebook, and spend @ 5-10 minutes writing. Let it flow. Don’t worry about where it goes – just be open to what comes. If something is bothering you or keeping your mind racing, it will take this opportunity to emerge. You will then be able to name it and set it aside for the night.
- Be sure to close up, after your writing. Don’t problem-solve. But be sure to congratulate yourself on the work you’ve done and the insights you’ve had. Give yourself warm validations and nurturing messages, and then snuggle down for a good night’s sleep!
In The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin offers Sixteen Tips for Getting Good Sleep. Her Wednesday tips are always very practical and concrete, and these sleep ideas are no exception. I’m sure that you’ll find some helpful ideas there (as well as in the comments that follow).
Do you have any sleep tips that you’d like to share? Click the box where it says “Comments!” I’d love to hear from you!
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