Sleeping: Even in Times of Stress

All too often when people get stressed, their sleep gets disrupted. Some people complain that they can't fall asleep, and/or that they wake up one or more times during the night and have trouble falling back to sleep. Another common complaint is that people wake up earlier than they have to and have to drag through their days as a result. Whatever your sleep issue is, you can begin to deal with it effectively and maybe even avoid the need for medications. Of course the first step in any plan for sleep, &/or relaxation is: Stop & Breathe slowly and deeply. (and yes, the breathing meditation is still up on my website--www.wellfromwithin.com/id74.html )
Sleep is imperative to our overall health and well-being. Maybe you used to be able to take sleep for granted, and now with all the negative and stressful news you're bombarded with on a daily basis, you feel too wound up or worried to sleep. Maybe you never slept well, and the conditions that exist now just exacerbate the problem. Maybe the methods you used to fall asleep in the past no longer work as well as they once did. Whatever the case, I believe you will find something in the following list that will work for you. Additionally, you can add the possibility of neurofeedback and/or hypnotherapy if sleep continues to elude you. It does take 28 days to make a habit, so pick the steps below that resonate the most for you, and work with them consistently. If you do so, you should notice an ever increasing amount of both the quantity and quality of the sleep you get each night, as the new habits replace your old ones.
The top 10 steps to handling insomnia or sleep problems in times of stress are:
1. No discussion of subjects that cause you stress or worry (personal or in the news) for 1 hour prior to going to bed. It might be a good idea to skip the late night news, too.
2. No discussion of finances in the bedroom, ever, (especially at night) and in times of stress.
3. Brain dump: Take 15 - 20 minutes prior to going to sleep to write down (almost like a stream of consciousness) whatever worries, stress, or fears you may have. Tell yourself that the paper will hold them for you until morning when you can "pick them up" if you still want or need to. Once the fears are written down, you are no longer carrying them in your head, so it is easier to fall asleep with a clear mind.
4. After "dumping" your fears, tensions and stress on paper, choose one or 2 of the following list of possible activities to further move you to relaxation and sleep: listen to your favorite soft or relaxing music, read a book, snuggle with your partner, or under a cozy blanket, use a scented candle, (there are a number of scented, battery operated candles on the market now, so you don't need to add the stress of a fire to your list) sip a cup of tea, meditate, list things that you are grateful for in your life, practice deep breathing.
5. Do any or all of the above in a dimly lit room. This is not only soothing, but studies have shown that this also increases the production of melatonin which helps you fall into a deep sleep.
6. Listen to a relaxation CD while falling asleep to help keep your mind clear and quiet, and it also helps to keep outside thoughts from popping in and disrupting the relaxation/sleep process.
7. Should you wake in the middle of the night, focus on a mantra: I recommend saying the following short phrase: "Calm & relaxed"... just repeating these words in a slow, quiet, but audible voice will quiet the racing, stress-inducing thoughts, and help you fall back to sleep. Take slow deep breaths as you repeat the words.
8. Acknowledge the thoughts that disturb or disrupt your sleep, say thank you to yourself, and, if necessary, write them down, and then take slow deep breaths, focusing on the words, "calm & relaxed" until sleep washes over you. Don't pretend that the thoughts didn't happen; simply acknowledge them for what they are: your mind being active and in need of some reassurance, and then you can go back to sleep.
9. Do deep breathing, while counting --- Inhale to the count of 4, hold for the count of 2 and exhale gently with a sigh through your mouth for the count of 4. By focusing on your breathing and counting, you are giving your mind something concrete and non stress-inducingto focus on, rather than the runaway, stressful thoughts.
10. Create an atmosphere in your bedroom that is conducive to relaxation and sleep. Make the space your "sleep" space. Focus on what you like for sleeping and relaxing: from colors to comfort, etc.

You can get a good night's sleep, even in stressful times, but now you have to be conscious and aware, and help the process along. You can no longer take this restorative and necessary activity for granted. However, you'll find you're going to appreciate it and be grateful for the sleep that you do get.