May 06 2008
Developing Good Sleep Hygiene
Yesterday, I talked about how anxiety can be one factor that may contribute to sleeping difficulties. Developing good sleep hygiene may help your sleeping difficulties as well as relieve the anxiety you feel before you go to bed.
One of the things you need to do in order to form good sleep hygiene is to set a sleep schedule for yourself. This means going to bed and getting up at the same time every day. If you go to bed at your regularly scheduled time and find you cannot sleep after 20 or 30 minutes, get up and read, write in your journal, or do some other quiet activity. Watching television if you cannot sleep is generally not a good idea, according to experts.
As I mentioned yesterday, it is important to avoid caffeine at least 4-6 hours before you go to sleep. If you drink coffee, tea, or soda, ensure it is decaffeinated in the several hours before you go to sleep. Likewise, avoid drinking alcohol before you go to bed.
To calm anxiety before you go to sleep, try doing something quiet and relaxing, such as reading, writing, taking a bubble bath, or listening to soft music. Every night before I go to sleep I like to listen to Enya, which is very soothing, relaxing music.
If you haven’t been getting a lot of sleep, you may be tempted to take naps throughout the day, but many experts tend to agree that napping during the day is not a good idea. Napping during the day may make it harder for you to sleep at night, but if you absolutely need a nap, try a quick 30-minute rest.
To maintain good sleep habits, it is important to have a good sleep environment. Your bedroom should be cool, but not cold while you sleep. Having comfortable pajamas will help you relax when you go to bed. Do not use your bedroom for anything other than sleeping or for intimate activities. It is not a good idea to do work in your room, as oftentimes, doing work in your sleeping environment can exacerbate anxiety.
Good sleep hygiene may help you sleep better. It may also reduce your anxiety about falling asleep and sleep difficulties.
If you continue to experience sleep problems after implementing good sleeping habits, you may need to talk to your doctor about additional treatments for sleeping problems. Tomorrow, I will discuss some of the medications doctors use to treat sleeping difficulties.
Wishing you a worry-free day!
