When You Have Problems Falling Asleep
By Sara Butler
Sleep is important. It’s so important that people will spend up to one-third of their lives doing it! But sometimes sleep can be elusive. There’s nothing quite as frustrating as lying in bed with thoughts racing through your head about things you need to get done or problems you may be having. Not getting good quality or quantity of sleep won’t help you to feel any better, so you need to find something to help. Here are a few things you can do to turn your brain off when your mind is racing at night.
Make a List
Worries, whether they are negative or not, keep people awake at night. Even something positive, such as a vacation or a wedding can be stressful enough to keep you from getting enough sleep. What should you do? Make a list!
Writing out a to-do list can help you to organize your thoughts and put them to bed before you try to find some sleep. Just the act of making a list and seeing what you need to do on paper can calm your mind and help you shift focus so you can sleep. So, try it out and see if it helps. It can’t hurt!
Get Up
When you stay in bed and try to force yourself to fall asleep, you may be making the problem worse. That’s because you’re training your poor brain to associate your bed with worries and negative feelings. So, when you’re finding it tough to sleep, get up out of bed and go to the couch. Flip through a magazine for a bit or make the aforementioned list of things you need to do. Then, try again 20 to 30 minutes later.
Listen to Music or Audiobooks
Listening to a book or some music can help to take your mind off of your worries. They can also be good alternatives to reading if you’d rather be in the dark to help you fall asleep. The only rule for audiobooks is not to listen to something too exciting. The more boring it is, the better!
Focus on Breathing
Another way you can calm your thoughts is to try some simple breathing exercises. Count to 10 as you inhale and then count to 10 again as you exhale. Slow but deep breathing can help lower your heart rate, which then can help you calm down if you’re worried about something or feeling anxious.
These tips can really help you find the sleep you need to stay healthy. So, give them a try!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Columbus, Ohio.