I came across this article and thought quite a few of us out in cyberland could do well to read this...
When I rang at 7.30am to see if my friend was feeling up for a walk, I could tell she wouldn't be joining me. 'I couldn't get to sleep again last night,' she said...'I had to take a sleeping table and now I can't wake up, so I'll have to give our walk a miss.'
On previous walks she'd told me how she suffers from endless nights of not sleeping, then feels constantly tired during the day, even falling asleep at her desk at work.
A bad night's sleep, or not being able to get to sleep, is something we've all experienced. Some people suffer from chronic insomnia, and that's got to be one of the cruelest afflictions.
Lying awake, tossing and turning, looking at the clock and worrying about not sleeping is a torturous experience. Understandably, many people resort to sleeping pills - but this actually creates more problems, becuase one of the withdrawal symptoms of sleeping medication is insomnia!!
Insomnia usually starts with a life problem such as stress at work, relationship distress or financial worries. Changes in routine that interrupt sleep patterns can also play a role, including moving house, a snoring partner or getting up to kids at night. Many mothers say that getting up to babies permanently changes their sleeping patterns, resulting in them sleeping more lightly and waking more frequently.
Sleep is a learned habit. If our GOOD sleeping habit is interrupted significantly, we run the risk of developing a BAD sleeping habit, such as difficulty getting to sleep and staying asleep.
Worrying about not sleeping leads to further wakefulness, as does trying too hard to get to sleep. The more you struggle to "drop off", the less likely you are to actually fall asleep, because you're trying to force a natural process.
Once you're caught in the vicious cycle of insomnia, you need to break the unhelpful patterns that are conspiring to keep you awake.
SOME HELPFUL HINTS:- 1...Do some form of physical exercise every day - but not right before going to bed.
2...Get up at about the same time every morning no matter how little you've slept. Sleeping in will only prevent you from being ale to sleep again that night.
3...Avoid sleeping during the day or napping in the evening while watching TV.
4...Don't lie in bed and work or watch TV. Keep your bed for sleeping and reading only.
5...Forget counting sheep, try these tips:-
6...Accept your sleeplessness. Tell yourself that you're still getting rest by lying quietly in bed.
7..Avoid clock watching - but if you're still awake after 30 minutes, get out of bed;
8...Wait for the familiar "sleep wave" feeling - it occurs naturally and cyclically in us all - before returning to bed;
9...If you still can't sleep after a further 30 minutes, get up again and wait for the sleep wave;
10...If worrying in bed is keeping you awake, get up and write down your worries.
Sorry this is so long, but I can really relate to this Psychologist's article and I'm going to try what she advises....hope it can help you!!!!!!
Luv and Peace....Zema
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