Masterpost Monday: Managing a Lack of Sleep
I’m pretty sure everyone, college students especially, have suffered with a case of insomnia. If you suffer from anxiety, depression, or another mental illness it can be even harder to fall asleep at night. Here are some tips to help manage insomnia and hopefully get more sleep!
Adjust the heat: being too hot or too cold can disrupt your sleep. Find the temperature that is right for you, for most people it is around 65-72 degrees F (18-22 degrees C). This may take some experimentation but each night try adjusting your room temperature one degree at a time until you find the right temp. If your feet are cold, try soaking them in warm water or wearing thick socks to bed.
Make it dark: light can be super distracting and keep you awake at night. If you live in an urban area or somewhere with lots of lights, try hanging blackout curtains or a blanket up in front of your window(s). If you don’t want to hang something up or have to have lights on inside for some reason, buy a sleeping mask.
Make it quiet: sounds are also super distracting, try sleeping with earplugs in. If you live in a dorm or apartment or somewhere else with other sounds try using white noise to block it out. A fan works great or you can also buy a white noise machine. There are also lots of white noise/nature sound apps and free files online you can try. If you experience auditory hallucinations earplugs or white noise may help!
Check mattress and pillows: sometimes it’s hard to get comfortable which may be affecting your sleep, make sure your body is supported properly. If you wake up with a stiff neck your pillow may be too flat or too thick, find a pillow that will support your neck in line with your body. If you wake up with pain your lower back, try placing an extra pillow between your knees when you sleep (if you sleep on your side) or underneath your knees (if you sleep on your back).
Bedroom oasis: make your bedroom a calm, relaxing space dedicated to only sleep (and sexual activities). Don’t use your bedroom for watching tv, video games, homework, etc. if you can avoid it. Your brain will associate your bedroom as the sleeping room if you limit other activities to different areas.
Turn off screens: turn off and stay away from all screens an hour before you want to go to bed. Also avoid bright lights if possible. The light from these screens and light bulbs actually turn off the hormone melatonin, which is what makes you sleepy. If you can’t turn off blue light displays (clocks, tv, etc.) cover them with a blanket. If you need a clock in your room it is best to use a dim, red light.
Avoid substances: avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine in the evening. Caffeine should not be ingested at least six hours before going to bed. It stays in your system for quite awhile and interferes with your deep sleeping. Although alcohol may seem to make you sleepy, it actually disrupts deep, restful sleep as well. Nicotine is a stimulant also and affects your sleep the same way caffeine does. If you smoke, stop smoking or smoke less at least 4 hours before bedtime.
Nap smart: if you don’t sleep well at night, napping during the day can be tempting, but it can actually make things worse. If you do nap do it early in the afternoon because it can make it harder to fall asleep at night if you do it later. If you have low energy in the afternoon, try taking a brisk walk or take a quick 10-20 minute nap as longer naps may make you feel groggy.
Exercise early: regular exercise will help you sleep better as long as you don’t do it too late in the day. Get some movement 3-5 hours before bedtime and falling asleep may be easier. If you wait to exercise 1-2 hours before bed your body will still have leftover energy from being “woken up” during exercise and falling asleep will be harder.
Small snack: don’t go to bed feeling stuffed or hungry. Also avoid eating greasy or spicy foods. Try having a small snack 30 minutes before bedtime. Try eating some toast, crackers, nuts, etc.
Worry clearing time: sometimes anxiety or worry-thoughts can keep you awake at night. Try creating a set “worry time” - set aside a time (30 minutes is usually plenty) and write down all your worries on a piece of paper until you can’t think of anymore. Once your worry time ends, direct your attention to another activity. When a worry comes up during the day, acknowledge it but say “I will worry about that, but not right now” and delay your worrying until your set worry time. This is usually most helpful if done in the evening as it will help clear your mind before bed.
Paced breathing: try exhaling longer than you inhale. For example, count to 5 while you inhale and count to 10 while you exhale. It doesn’t matter how long, just do the best you can to make your exhale longer than your inhale. Do this for about a minute and it should help you relax.
Ice method: this is super helpful if you are experiencing anxiety, panic, or insomnia. It slows down your heart rate and activates your body’s relaxation response which helps you fall asleep. Here’s what to do:
put 4-ish ice cubes in a large ziploc bag and cover the ice cubes with a little bit of cold water
wet the outside of the bag
lie down with the wet bag of ice on your upper face, it should mold to your forehead, eyes, and cheekbones
leave it on for 30 seconds
remove the bag and use “paced breathing” for a minute, you can breathe this way for longer if you want
repeat as many times as you want
if you are using this to help you fall asleep, have a bowl by your bed that you can put the ice in so you don’t have to get up when you’re done
Bedtime routine: create a regular bedtime routine. Do the same things at the same time every night. By developing a routine, your body learns to associate these activities with bedtime and it will learn to get sleepy at this time. Put on your pajamas, brush your teeth, wash your face, take your medicine, etc. and do something soothing/relaxing that does not involve a tv, computer, or phone.
Quiet mind: if you find that your mind is racing with thoughts, images, etc. try this:
close your eyes and imagine a wobbly ameba shaped circle
trace the outline of the shape with your eyes (eyes closed still)
while doing this repeatedly think a neutral word, i.e. think “the the the” repeatedly and slowly
Get up: if you can’t sleep, get out of bed. By staying in bed and tossing and turning, your brain will associate your bed with frustration and anxiety instead of relaxation and sleep. Only go to bed if you’e sleepy. If you become more awake, restless, anxious, etc. get out of bed and find a relaxing activity to do until you feel sleepy again. Repeat this as many times as necessary.
Don’t watch the clock: it can be tempting to watch the clock when you’re trying to fall asleep, especially if you have to wake up or go to sleep by a certain time. But watching the clock can make you feel anxious, which in turn makes it even harder to fall asleep. Turn your clock away or cover it up and don’t pay attention to it once you’re in bed. Your alarm will still work even though you can’t see the clock!
Morning sun: as soon as possible, go outside and get direct sunlight in the morning. Sunlight resets your biological clock each morning, it wakes you up and helps you get ready to sleep again at night. Try to get about 30 minutes of sunlight every morning.
Get moving: the best way to wake your brain and body up in the morning is to get moving. Even if you didn’t sleep well, don’t wait until you feel energetic; stand up and move and you will start to feel more energetic. Try getting up and moving briskly for a few minutes and note your energy. You can try jumping jacks, dancing, marching/jogging in place, yoga/stretching, walking around, etc.
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