Day 25: Forming Healthy Sleep Habits

If you’re like most people, you don’t give much thought to your sleep. You’re on the go all day, right up until it’s time for bed. You fall into bed and hope for sleep to come quickly. Sometimes it does. Sometimes you’re up praying that Mr. Sandman will show up soon.

When you go about your busy day, your body is in a state of arousal. It’s getting things done! If you come to a dead stop and fall into bed, your body hasn’t had time to make the shift. It’s still aroused. Your mind is preoccupied with your worries and your body is in its “fight or flight” mode. No wonder sleep won’t come. Your brain hasn’t gotten the message yet. Add in a little stress, menopause, and its impact on sleep, and you’ve got the recipe for some serious insomnia.

Did you know that insomnia can become a habit? People with chronic insomnia remain in that state of sustained emotional arousal which results in physiological arousal – like an elevated heart rate or restlessness. Over time, you start to worry about being able to sleep which makes the insomnia worse.1 Sleeplessness becomes a habit.

The good news is that there are things you can do to encourage a good night’s sleep. This is called sleep hygiene. Sleep hygiene is the set of routines and environment you put in place and use each night to foster good sleep. Your bedtime ritual so to speak.

Good sleep hygiene doesn’t have to be complicated. Usually, a few simple practices and changes can make a huge difference in a short time. Let’s go through some of them.

First, try sending your brain a signal. As evening progresses towards bedtime, it’s important to allow your brain some time to begin its process of preparing for sleep. For example, you can dim the lights to signal that sleep is approaching.

Second, have an Evening Routine – It allows you to unwind and let the stressors of the day go. You can take a warm bath, read, listen to soothing music, meditate, or journal. Find those things that are soothing and let you gently release what you’ve carried that day.

Third, make sure you Have A Consistent Bedtime – Going to bed and waking at the same time each day can foster good sleep habits.

The conditions of your room are also important – Keep your room dark, cool and quiet. If you want, you can use a white noise app, machine, or fan to mask outside noise. Use cool, comfortable bedding. Layer your sheets and blankets so that you can control your comfort level.

With these sleep practices in place, you can quickly start getting better quality and quantity of sleep. Once you’re getting good sleep, you may find that your symptoms are actually improving. When our body is rested, it functions more efficiently and we generally are better able to manage what comes along. Good sleep is just good medicine.