Because I have suffered sleep issues most of my life, I have taken some time to educate myself on learning better sleep habits. Too much sleep leaves you feeling lethargic while not enough can send you into a depression spin, as I have found. I have tried different techniques until I lit on a few that have worked well for me.As much as I would like to, I won't sleep in anymore. I feel horrid all day if I sleep the morning away. I try to get up the same time every day (an hour later on my days off). I find this to get easier as time goes on and getting up is a bit less of a struggle as the body gets accustomed to it. I also found if I make a plan the night before of things I want to do the next day, it gives me energy to get out of bed and get going, not to mention, that having a plan of the next day lets your mind rest of the zillions of things that have to be done. Even if you don't get it all done, it was a plan, nonetheless.
No chocolate, no cheese products of any nature (yogurt,hard cheese, cheese slices, cottage cheese) as it has a chemical naturally produced for energy and will keep you up. No caffiene drinks, of course. No heavily sugared products or products high in salt (salt increases your blood pressure and no one can sleep to the sound of blood pounding in their ears all night. I found for myself that warm, high fiber cereals with milk work for me. They are heavy enough to feel full, but not too heavy to keep me up or stay in my stomach long. The milk put in the warm cereal makes you drowsy. I eat cream of wheat, for example, but there are hundreds of warm cereals to choose from. Did I mention, it is also good for regularity?
I am still in the learning process of meditation. Not the guru, sit with your legs crossed and hum type, but the quieting of the mind and soul type. Very simple really. I close my bedroom door, light a candle and turn off the lights so it is dark. I take 5 minutes, sit in a comfortable position,( I put all my pillows up against the headboard and sit back on them, resting all muscles). I look into the candle light and repeat in my head "relax". I breathe in through my nose, filling my diaphram first (your belly should be extended comfortably as far as it can go)then my lungs,breathing out slowly through my mouth (not too slowly or you will see stars instead of candelight!). I never believed this to work until I put my husband's heart rate monitor on a few times to see if it actually lowered my heart rate doing this. It really does work and it is simple. Over time, I have used this in the day time when I feel an anxiety attack coming on. I can close my eyes and picture the dark room with the candle flame and I relax because I relate the 2 of them together with peacefullness.
Finally, I go to bed. Sometimes I read mindless things (like Archie comics that don't require me to think greatly or keep reading to see the end, lol). Dress properly for bed. I personally, cannot wear nighties. They drive me insane, always wrapping up around my neck at night. I suffer night sweats now with pre-menopause so the little worn to bed, the better. Cotton is always a good choice and there is nothing like good percal sheets. They are cool to the touch, yet warm where you need them. I bought a sponge cover for my mattress and that is divine to sink into. Comfort is key. Temperature in your room is important. I always sleep with the window open a crack for fresh air. It is a battled subject on quiet vs. white noise during sleep. I personally sleep better with the sound of a fan or natural music in the backround. White noise is uninterupted sound like fans or the snow sound the TV makes when it is on the blink. Soft new age music, nature music, yoga music and baroque music are also good. My 10 year old son cannot sleep without the sound of a fan going. I could only sleep as a teenager with the radio going and am still like this. Some can sleep in quiet, some can't. You will have to find what best suits you.
Last, but not least, I practice muscle manipulation. I lay on my back and relax all muscles. I start by tightening the muscles in my feet and ankles, holding this for 5-10 seconds (if you are prone to getting cramps in your feet when you do this, just move your ankles in circular motions),and let them relax. I then tighten my calves and thighs, hold for 5-10 seconds and relax. Next, my butt muscles, 5-10 seconds and relax, my stomach next, then my arm and hands (ball into fists), my neck and face muscles finish the process. During this, breathe deeply in through your nose and out through your mouth. This process takes about a minute to do. At the end, take a moment to feel how each muscle group feels relaxed. It will feel like a flood washing over your body. This works for me, but some will find visualization works for them. I tried it but I found muscle manipulation better. You are to lay on you back and close your eyes, breathing in through the nose, out through the mouth, and visualize someplace that makes you happy and comfortable. Places like a walk in the forest or by a brook or floating in a bubble. Envision all that goes with it, sight, sound and smell. It takes some practice and you can buy tapes that teach you how to do it. The hardest part of all of these is training your mind to stay on the exercise and not to drift off to the dishes in the sink that need to be done or the wall in the bathroom that needs a good coat of paint. It is an exercise in listening to our inner voice, quieting our ever-babbling minds and disciplining our thought processes.
In closing, I am not an expert in this field or claim to be one. I have just taken a lot of time to learn to help myself in this area because lack of sleep was a deep cause of my daytime issues such as depression blues and overeating all the wrong foods to get energy which in turn, ended up causing severe mood swings. Since focusing on my sleep, I have lost most of my weight (55lbs.)and kept it off for almost 2 years ( I still have the dreaded, cling to your thighs for dear life, last 10bs. to go), I eat way more healthily than I have ever done, and I have a bit more energy to get things done. My thought processes have come a long way. I am more disciplined in this area, not allowing the thoughts to take me wherever they want, but managing to stay focused longer than normal (I still have days where they override my efforts but that is life and some exceptions have to be made. I hope this helps anyone who has sleep problems. When all else fails, get your doctor to make a full assessment as to why you are not sleeping well and do not self medicate with drugs, over the counter or otherwise, or alcohol. This is not safe or smart, and will only intensify the sleep issues you are having. Finding the core issue of sleep problems is key. Good luck and sweet dreams,
Rhonda
Last Edited rhoda on 21-Aug-2006 5:59 AM
