Let us share a few tips to help you snooze again…
1. Try cognitive behavioural therapy
CBT is a proven method of re-learning how to sleep again. The therapy helps you make sense of overwhelming problems by examining how they affect you and your sleep.
We spoke to Katherine Pinkham, Insomnia Expert and Founder of the Insomnia Clinic, who says CBT results “show that on average 70% of people with even very long term poor sleep obtain lasting benefit from the treatment.”
See the full interview in the full podcast below.
2. Try mindful relaxation for insomnia
Insomnia is often related to feelings of anxiety. If you often worry about things, you need to address these and place them aside when you get into bed. Try relaxation training such as:
- Breathing exercises
- Mindfulness
- Meditation techniques and yoga
- Guided imagery
3. Beware of blue light
Artificial light, LEDs, fluorescent bulbs and incandescent bulbs trick the brain into thinking it’s daytime. Your body will want to warm up and prepare for the day by producing a hormone called cortisol, which you don’t wish to do before bedtime! Instead, dim your lights a couple of hours before hitting the hay.
Kathryn Pinkham says, ‘Blue light technology can inhibit the production of melatonin, known as the sleep hormone. We need melatonin to drop off at night, so too much screen time before bed can interfere and tell our body and mind it’s daytime, making it hard to drop off.’
Ideally, switching off all devices at least an hour before bed would be best or using a night filter to switch off the blue light.
4. Avoid caffeine if possible
Stay clear of anything caffeinated after 2 pm. Caffeine stays in your system for up to 8 hours. One study by the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that consuming caffeine 6 hours before bedtime reduced total sleep time by 1 hour.
5. Avoid alcohol
Alcohol acts as a sedative that makes your body and mind skip the vital stage of your circadian rhythm, which results in a poor night’s sleep. This is not good for those with insomnia, so avoid it at least 3 hours before bed.
6. Ask your doctor for advice
Your doctor is the most highly qualified source of advice regarding insomnia. If treating sleeplessness yourself is a struggle, your doctor can recommend alternative methods to get a good night’s rest.
7. Practise good sleep hygiene
Practising good sleep hygiene is the best way to begin your journey to getting a better night’s sleep. The phrase refers to a set of practices and habits that promote healthy and restful sleep, including:
- Consistent sleep schedule: Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends, helps regulate your body’s internal clock.
- Creating a relaxing bedtime routine: Activities such as taking a warm bath, reading a book, or deep breathing exercises can help prepare your body for sleep.
- Comfortable sleep environment: A quiet, dark, and cool room with a comfortable bed and mattress can promote better sleep.
- Regular exercise: Regular physical activity can help promote better sleep, but it’s important to avoid exercising too close to bedtime.
- Avoiding screens before bedtime: As mentioned earlier, the blue light emitted by electronic devices can interfere with your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle.
By improving our sleep hygiene, we can develop better habits, overcome bad ones and break the vicious cycle of insomnia.
