This type of mindset is more helpful for finding healthy sleep habits. This can help you learn to replace worried or fearful thinking with more pleasant, relaxing thoughts. In group sessions or one-on-one counseling, mental health therapists can help you learn to change negative patterns of thinking. These strategies help you control your:Ī warm bath before bedtime, a massage, and light stretching all work to relax the body and should help you wind down at night. Progressive muscle relaxation, biofeedback, and breathing exercises are ways to reduce anxiety at bedtime. These therapies may include the following: Relaxation techniques Such therapies are often the first line of treatment for people with insomnia. They’ve been shown to be as effective or more effective than sleep medications. Behavior therapies are often conducted by a psychologist, psychiatrist, or another trained healthcare provider. These treatments can teach you how to make your environment more conducive to sleep. These foods can be hard to digest, particularly when you eat them late at night. Maintain a healthy dietĪvoid foods that are high in saturated fat, which may cause heartburn and indigestion. Regular exercise can also help prevent health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes. However, regular exercise over 4 months did improve how much they slept and their overall quality of sleep. Researchers in a 2013 study tracked 11 women with insomnia and found that exercising 1 day didn’t necessarily mean that their participants would sleep better that night. Even if you don’t see immediate results, keep doing it. ExerciseĮxercising 20 to 30 minutes every day can encourage a good night’s sleep. The researchers recommend avoiding caffeine a minimum of 6 hours before your normal bedtime.ĭrinking too much of any fluid before bedtime can disrupt sleep with repeated nighttime trips to the bathroom. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine taken 6 hours before bedtime can significantly disrupt your sleep.įor reference, an 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee has 96 mg of caffeine. Long-term heavy drinking can also trigger high blood pressure, heart failure, and stroke.Ĭaffeinated drinks such as coffee and soft drinks are other stimulants to avoid. Alcohol is a sedative that may induce sleep initially, but it can disrupt deeper stages of sleep that allow your body to rest fully. Watch what you drinkĪvoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. If you’re having difficulty quitting, ask your healthcare provider about smoking cessation programs or products to help you quit. Nicotine is a stimulant that triggers insomnia. You may also want to incorporate other lifestyle changes, such as the following.
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