Sleep. Insomnia. Improving it while having Anxiety.
This entire situation of the COVID 19 pandemic made history. It has brought about a large amount of changes in everyone's lives. Potentially you've gone through work changes, social isolation precautions, and mental health related challenges. With that maybe you experienced more anxiety, panic attacks, or even just worrying about the situation that presents. It's totally normal to have a fluctuation of ups and downs in our mental health from time to time. When we experience sudden and unexpected changes, it can leave us feeling in a state of shock, and then after the shock comes a variety of different emotional reactions, all of which can be hard to comprehend or even regulate.
If you are experiencing anxiety, or stress then that can definitely lead to changes in our sleep patterns. Potentially you may find yourself feeling a lack of tiredness, noticing you can't fall asleep either. This is often referred to as insomnia. Maybe you just keep day dreaming of a normal nights sleep, that allows you to wake up rested. Let's just explore some simple tips to help your sleep improve during times of stress and anxiety.
Emotions impact sleep. Avoiding and suppressing our emotions throughout the day will lead us to having a difficult time with falling asleep. It's as if your mind recognizes when you have laid down to sleep or you drift off then jolt awake and the thoughts are circling around in your mind. You just can't turn it off... Try writing down your feelings in a journal. Then engage in meditation to let them go. Imagine writing them down, folding them up, and slipping them inside of a balloon. Blow up that balloon to full capacity, tie a string, and let it go. Watch as you lay in bed, the balloon floats away into the sky with the emotions you felt on that specific day. Breathe in, and say the affirmation, "love, peace, rest", and exhale as you say the affirmation, "letting go of negativity, stress, and worry". Repeat that cycle three times or until you feel calmer. You can do this before bed, or after you realise that you're having a troubling time falling asleep, or if needed you can even do this both times. Focus on the goal and desire that you have to want to feel better and calm instead of focusing on the emotions that are hindering you from feeling better or are a distraction from you getting rest.
News. Watch the news during the daytime hours. Do not watch the news within a minimum of 1 hour of going to bed. Also, outline ways you can distract your mind, and distance from what you heard on the news. Given that the news is intended to update us, keep us informed, and also keep us watching TV, it can be quite stimulating to watch.
Create daily routines. We are creatures of habit and thrive with it. Try and write out a daily schedule that can be adjusted as the day goes on, however it provides some guidance on what to do next with, "all the hours that may be suddenly empty". Think about projects you want to do, goals you have for yourself, old hobbies to re-try again. If you are working then get yourself up and ready for the day like you would if you were leaving the house, despite not doing that. At the end of the day, go for a walk, take a rest, change into comfortable clothes. This supports our guideposts mentally about when an activity of the day begins and ends. It guides us during our awake hours of the day.
Get active during the day time. This can also include getting day light exposure. Standing outside, even on a balcony, or sitting in front of a window can help boost our mood. Going for walks, engaging our 5 senses can be helpful to create a connection to nature. Our bodies get ready to sleep based on the amount of energy they have used up throughout the course of a day.
Get up the same time every morning. A key piece to falling asleep at a consistent time is getting up at the same time everyday. When we try to catch up on our sleep by sleeping in, or laying in bed longer it can actually alter our sleep drive system internally. It can confuse our bodies and brains as to when we are supposed to feel tired and sleep.
Spend time relaxing. There are many free streaming meditations, breathing exercises, yoga classes, and even EFT tapping exercises to try. Journaling can also be relaxing to just write and then let go. Relaxation is a countering activity to combat the excessive stress, and challenging intense emotions we may be experiencing during this situation. It's just as important to relax on days when you have not "done anything productive", because it's a routine, and a mental anchor to let go of whatever came through your mind, or your experiences that day.
Set a bed time routine and stick to it. Our bodies work like a clock, and we learn to associate a time and routine with when to sleep. By following a routine, and going to bed within an hour of the same time each night it helps with the routine of sleep. What do you do to fall asleep? Spending 1 hour of time "preparing to sleep" and "unwinding" before going to sleep is most helpful. Doing things like reading quietly, listening to relaxing music, and just listening to your breath inhale and exhale can help.
Hopefully, these strategies help you to build more restful and restorative sleep patterns during these challenging times of anxiety in your life.
Still struggling or have more concerns about your mood, mental health, or sleep? Consider contacting Shelley today to schedule a session to review your concerns. Also, contact a medical provider if your concerns are severe. This blog is intended to offer support and strategies to try in a self help manner, and does not replace medical advice or treatment.
