Sleep is important. It’s something you should do for a healthy mental state, and it helps us get the energy and alertness we need.
And yet, it’s hard for many people. Racing thoughts keep us up at night. Worries about the future, about our children, the list goes on. There have been many jokes made about how we are tired all day, and yet as we try to go to bed, we are wide awake.
However, good sleep is not something to joke about. If your mental state is always racing, here are a few ways you can stop it.
Limit Your Caffeine Intake
Drinking a cup of coffee in the morning to wake you up is fine, and so is having some afternoon tea. However, if you find yourself drinking caffeine late at night, you shouldn’t. Even if you need it to keep you up. The effects can linger, and this can cause you to stay up at night.
Take a Few Breaths
Breathing is perhaps one of the best ways you can calm yourself down. Breathing is the source of calming, and there are many breathing techniques you can try. One is the 4-7-8 technique, which has seen some incredible results. Basically, you breathe in for four seconds, hold it for seven, and then breathe out for eight. If your mind is racing, take a breath.
Don’t Stay in Bed for Too Long if You Can’t Sleep
If you find yourself tossing and turning, only to fall asleep, remember the definition of insanity: trying to do the same thing over and over again, expecting the same result. If you can’t fall asleep on your bed, your mind is just going to associate your bed with restlessness. Get up, do something, and when you feel tired, go back to bed.
Take a Warm Bath
Taking a nice little soak in the tub before bed can calm your nerves and help you unwind. Just don’t stay in there for so long you fall asleep in the bath.
Put Down the Phone
If you find yourself unable to sleep, you may find yourself whipping out your phone. This can just make you more awake. The blue light from phones is associated with waking up.
Now, most phones do have blue light filter options and night modes to reduce that impact, but even so, checking Facebook can make yourself feel more mentally stimulated. Try avoiding heavy phone use close to bed. In fact, avoiding screens in general is good advice. Though some people can unwind with their favorite show, so it all depends.
Don’t Worry So Much
The silly thing about insomnia is that it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. You get a bad night’s rest, and then you worry about getting another bad night. This stimulates your mind and becomes a tough cycle to break as you get sleepless night after sleepless night.
What you should do instead is realize that sleep will come, and just make more of an effort to improve your sleep hygiene. Of course, if results don’t come, then you may want to
Seek Help
There are many reasons why it can be hard to sleep. If you are staying awake because of stress, because of poor sleep hygiene, or for any other reason, you may want to seek the help of some therapists. They can help you find the reason for your sleepless nights, give you some techniques to calm yourself down, and ensure that you have a better night’s sleep.
Sleep is important, and by getting sleep, your mental health can skyrocket.
