“Ever
since my daughter was born, I’ve had trouble sleeping.”
You may
expect that a mother said this, but it was actually Dave, a father of a
10-month old who I recently talked to about his sleep problems. Dave went on to say, “She was colicky for the
first 6 months so I didn’t get much sleep.
Now she sleeps great and I still can’t sleep!”
While
everyone’s situation is different, Dave’s experience is not unique. Many people have trouble sleeping during stressful
times or when life circumstances change their sleep patterns. Sadly, even after the stress lessens and your
sleep should improve, it often times doesn’t. During the time of stress or
change, your mind and body have become trained to a disruptive sleep schedule.
Does it
mean that you’re destined to sleep poorly and always feel tired? Absolutely not!
Now you
need to re-teach your body and mind to fall asleep more easily and sleep
through the night. As long as there are no underlying medical conditions that
are keeping you awake, there’s no reason that you can’t become a better
sleeper.
Start
with the following basic sleep strategies:
- Stick to a regular
bedtime and wake time.
- Expose yourself to
sunlight or bright lights as soon as you wake up.
- Exercise for at least
20 minutes each day, but not within 3 hours of bedtime.
- Limit caffeine intake
and avoid caffeine within at least 6 hours of bedtime.
- Avoid alcohol and
nicotine within 2 hours of bedtime.
- Practice relaxing,
abdominal breathing during the day and at bedtime.
- Follow a wind-down
routine one hour before bed – read, listen to music, meditate, take a
bath.
- Avoid mentally stimulating
activities and bright lights (including a computer screen) close to
bedtime.
- Enjoy a small snack at
bedtime if you are hungry - do not go to bed too hungry or too full.
- Create a relaxing
bedroom environment that is dark, quiet and about 65 – 68 degrees.
- Use your bedroom
primarily for sex and sleep.
- Get out of bed and do
something relaxing if you are awake for longer than 30 minutes.
- Once your sleep
improves, you may nap for 20-30 minutes several hours before bedtime.
- Listen to a relaxation
CD (link) at bedtime to relieve tension and stop racing thoughts so you can get a great
night’s sleep.
For more
information on a drug-free approach to better sleep, visit www.spectrumsleepworks.com.
