Sleep Problems?
What causes sleep disturbance?
Sleep disturbance is caused from a wide variety of reasons, such as stress, depression, anxiety, trauma, surgery, pain, medical issues, and so on.
What can you do about sleep disturbance?
1...See your physician to check on the role of medications, medical disorders or other factors.
2...Talk with your counsellor about stress, trauma, depression, anxiety, or other factors which might be affecting your sleep and learn effective treatment strategies.
3...Try some sound sleep tips found below.
Bedroom ambiance:
- Keep the bedroom for sleep and intimacy only. No electronic devices!
- The bedroom should be calm and quiet. Use earplugs, a fan, or an air purifier to block out sounds.
- To keep the room dark use an eye mask or curtains and hide your clock.
- The room should be cool (18 degrees C) but your body should be warm.
- Warm your feet and your solar plexus with warm packs.
Bedtime Routines:
- Establish regular bedtime routines and rituals to prepare for sleep.
- Wake up at the same time each day.
- Go to bed only when you feel sleepy.
- Avoid daytime naps and don't oversleep.
- Engage in nightly relaxation techniques.
- Avoid large meals and excess liquid close to bedtime.
- Avoid caffeine, sugar, alcohol, and tobacco in the evening.
- Avoid T.V. before bedtime as it is stimulating to the nervous system.
- Avoid reading in bed as it disrupts the message of "sleep".
Relaxing activities 2 hours before bedtime:
- Read non-stimulating books or magazines.
- Light a candle or a fire in the fireplace.
- Listen to soothing music.
- Do some light exercise or gentle stretching.
- Massage your feet.
- Have a light snack. Warm milk is an old favorite.
- Meditate.
- Review what you are most grateful for and not grateful for that day.
- Listen to relaxation tapes especially designed for sleep.
- Practice muscle relaxation or sensory awareness techniques.
- Try the old fashioned sleep remedy of a few drops of lavender essential oil on a cloth or sachet near your pillow.
If you do waken in the night and can't get back to sleep:
- Do not look at your clock. If you must wake at a particular time, set the alarm.
- Re-check your sleep environment factors and repeat your favorite deep relaxation exercise.
- If you can't sleep after 20 minutes (your estimate), get up and repeat some relaxing activities until you feel sleepy.