Sleep on my mind

If there’s one thing most of us can agree on, it’s needing more sleep. Many of us dread the looming threat of Daylight Savings Time, which always winds up feeling like losing more than one hour! Here are some general tips to help improve sleep:

• Aim to go to bed and wake up around the same time every day. Most of the time, we want to adjust our sleep on the weekends (although that’s not always possible!), but to get better, longer, and more quality sleep, having the same wake and sleep times is recommended.

• Try to eat dinner at least two hours before going to bed; you may notice that eating a full meal too close to bedtime makes it harder to go to sleep.

• Being active during the day can help you fall asleep at bedtime! Even if you don’t have time/want to exercise, being conscious of moving throughout the day can make a difference.

• Avoid caffeine and naps late in the day.

Additionally, many of us struggle with unwanted thoughts that always seem to pop up right when trying to fall asleep. Did I sound stupid during that presentation earlier today? Why did I trip and fall in front of my class in 4th grade? We certainly don’t want these thoughts to pop up, especially at bedtime, but it's called rumination when they do and we can’t get them out of our head. Here are some ideas that may help:

• Take a moment and acknowledge the thoughts. That can go like this: “There are those unwanted thoughts again.”

• Practice a simple breathing exercise: breathe in slowly, as if you’re filling up a balloon, and think, “Inhale.” Then breathe out slowly, as if you’re deflating a balloon, and think, “Exhale.” Repeat as needed.

  • This exercise has several purposes: it helps relax your body, making it more likely for you to fall asleep and providing your mind with something else to focus on in the present (e.g., the inhales and exhales) rather than your rumination.

If you’re still struggling with sleep, unwanted thoughts, or rumination, further therapeutic support is available!