Insomnia is when you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. It can also be when you awake before you intend to and cannot fall back asleep – so you essentially wake up too early and do not get adequate sleep.
There are a lot of reasons for insomnia. People may have financial problems, social problems, or mental conditions that make it difficult to sleep. They may toss and turn in bed for hours before falling asleep, or suddenly awaken an hour or so before the alarm goes off.
We’ve compiled some important tips that may help you fight your insomnia:
Get Up and Walk Around
If you have been lying in bed for 20 minutes and you haven’t been able to fall asleep, do not keep spending wakeful hours lying in bed. Get up and read, or listen to some relaxing music.
Stay away from the phone, TV, or computer, as the blue lights can interfere with your circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm helps you naturally wake up in the morning and fall asleep at night. After being awake for an hour or so, or if you feel like you’re getting sleepy, go back to bed.
Try Sleeping in Shifts
If nothing is beating your insomnia, then lie down for three to four hours, then get up and read or listen to music. After one or two hours, go back to bed and let yourself rest again.
Don’t let yourself get angry that you cannot sleep, because the angry feelings can actually keep you awake. Let yourself rest, and think good thoughts.
Seek Medical Advice
Explore working with a physician to help you move past whatever trauma may be affecting your sleep. The doctor can evaluate and analyze your sleep patterns, and you may even need a prescription medication at first to help you finally get the rest you need.
Make Your Bedroom a Restful Place
Make sure the bedroom is clean, clutter-free, fresh-smelling, comfortable, and inviting. Be sure that the mattress you are using properly supports your back and doesn’t cause back pain. If you like to read in bed, make sure it isn’t work- or school-related, and do not read from an e-reader – whose screen light can subconsciously interfere with your circadian rhythm.
Recondition Your Mind
People are conditioned to associate the bed with sleep. If you are suffering from insomnia, get out of bed, and move to a different room until you are tired. That way, the bed is associated with sleep only, and no wakefulness or insomnia.
Avoid Naps
If you just spent all night tossing and turning, the natural urge is to catch up by taking a nap in the middle of the day. However, try to avoid taking a nap unless your sleepiness is becoming dangerous; if you must take a nap, set the alarm on your phone for only about 20 minutes. This way, by the time nighttime comes, you’re ready to go to sleep.
Sleep Specialist in Connecticut and New York
If you still cannot find a way to sleep, contact our trusted medical team at Psy-Visions. Dr. Mark Stracks is an experienced psychiatrist who knows how to treat your sleep disorder medically and psychologically, so you can finally get a good night’s sleep again.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Stracks, contact our caring staff today by calling our New York City office at (718) 887-2918 or our Southbury, Connecticut office at (203) 405-1745. You can also fill out our online appointment request form now. Let us help you discover how to get back to sleep again every single night.
