Getting great sleep sets us up for our day or time ahead. Not getting enough sleep can occur sometimes, but if this happens on a consistent basis, our bodies can start to talk to us through various symptoms, letting us know that more sleep is needed.
So what impacts on us not getting good sleep? It can be lots of things and it varies for each person. Some of the things can can contribute to poor sleep and insomnia are:
- Anxiety
- Stress
- Depression
- Emotional causes that can include anger, worry, grief, trauma
- Our minds racing with activity
- Pain or discomfort
- Sometimes an underlying health condition can contribute to us losing sleep
- Ourselves or others snoring
Where in the sleep cycle do you find difficulty with your sleep
For some people difficulties with sleep can come at different times in the sleep cycle.
- Acute insomnia. A brief episode of difficulty sleeping.
- Chronic insomnia. A long-term pattern of difficulty sleeping.
- Comorbid insomnia. Insomnia that occurs with another condition.
- Onset insomnia. Difficulty falling asleep at the beginning of the night.
- Maintenance insomnia. The inability to stay asleep.
How do we maintain a good sleep routine
- Keep a regular sleep-wake cycle. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine in the four to six hours before bedtime.
- Don’t exercise within two hours of bedtime. Exercising five or six hours before bedtime may help you sleep more soundly.
- Don’t eat large meals within two hours of bedtime.
- Don’t nap later than 3 p.m.
- Sleep in a dark, quiet room with a comfortable temperature.
- If you can’t fall asleep within 20 minutes, do a quiet activity somewhere else and return to bed when you’re sleepy.
- Wind down in the 30 minutes before bedtime with a relaxing pre sleep ritual such as a warm bath, soft music, or reading.
Use this Mini Course to provide you with tools and techniques which can support you to achieve better sleep straight away.
