how to beat insomnia.
Are you a victim of doom-scrolling? You can’t sleep so you reach for your phone in hopes it will connect you to sleep land but instead, you find yourself glancing at the clock to realize you’ve just done a deep dive and now you’re in the rabbit hole watching some TikTok of a guy rolling dice to decide what sandwich he’s going to make. It’s been hours and you realise if you go to sleep right now you’ll get 4 hours of sleep.
The crushing pressure of falling asleep kicks in and you can hear the minutes of the clock counting down your alarm. Tick Tok Tick Tok and you think to yourself how did I get here again it feels like this suffocating loop that you repeat each night. Don’t worry it happens to the best of us. Here are some tips to help you get to your destination of sleepy dreams and rest and revived for the day ahead.
10 TIPS FOR GETTING TO SLEEP:
Make sure you use your bed only to sleep. Yes, this means no watching TV or social media no matter how tempting it may be.
Allow for only 2 hours of screen time per night
Exercise early in the morning if you can or at least one hour before sleeping.
I know spicy food is delicious however, it’s best to avoid them or any heavy meals a few hours before sleep.
COFFEE DRINKERS this one is for you. Try to avoid any caffeine before bed.. no you can’t have a Pepsi Max instead. That’s still caffeine.
Timing is everything. Set a specific time to go to bed each night.
Alarms suck but let’s use them to your advantage. Set your alarm to the same time each morning and actually get up no matter how much sleep you’ve had. Pretend it’s just jet lag and you’re on a holiday... that helps… kind of.
DO NOT NAP. Simple.. it fucks up your routine and we’re all about the routine
Before bed, set aside one hour to wind down and prepare yourself. Whatever that looks like for you.
a) Have a shower and get into your comfy pjs or have a warm bath instead of the shower.
b) Have a tea or milky drink before bed
c) Worry time: If you’re stressed about something, write it all down on paper so it’s out of your mind and tell yourself I’ll deal with that tomorrow, or better yet find solutions and problem-solve.
d) Listen to relaxing music or do a relaxation exercise
Only go to bed early if you’re sleepy, try not to get extra sleep as you could end up napping and then the cycle begins.
Remember that worry time we set aside earlier? All your worrying is done now so there’s no need to go over in your head. If it’s persistent tell yourself I will deal with it tomorrow right now I’m relaxing and going to sleep. Do some breathing exercises and watch how fast you fall asleep.
So you’ve done all the right steps and you’re still struggling? If it’s been longer than 15 - 20 minutes or you’ve fallen asleep and woken up, then get out of bed and do something mindless. No, do not reach for that phone! Go to a different room and do something that’s unstimulating. Return to bed after the break when you’re feeling tired again.
