Why is it when we seem to be so tired we just cannot fall asleep? Our minds are racing and our body just feels like it is going to collapse. Is it what we have eaten? Is it when we have eaten? Is it the stress that so many of us go through daily whether it be from work, finance, raising a family? How do we put all of this in it’s proper place so we are able to sleep when it is time to sleep?
Food: Late night eating can be a major cause of not being able to fall asleep. Eating too heavy too late in the evening can confuse the body. Instead of concentrating on shutting down it has been put back into digestive mode. Try avoiding any fatty foods at least three hours before retiring.
Quiet: Give yourself time to wind down. Try not to sleep in a room with the T.V. on. Give yourself at least 30 minutes of peace minimum before you call it a day.
Routine: If you have a difficult night sleeping, don’t resolve it by oversleeping the next morning. Forcing yourself to get up the same time every morning will eventually put your body on a time schedule. Eventually your body rhythm will set itself for a particular time it must sleep and a particular time to awake.
Caffeine: Constantly stimulating yourself throughout the day with cola, coffee, and chocolate can have a cumulative effect by the time you are ready to retire.
Exercise: Strenuous exercise can rejuvenate one self and therefore prevent sleep. It can take up to 4 hours for the body to cool down and start to relax. Better to stick with milder activities such as Yoga and stretching.
Alcohol: Can make you very sleepy but will result in a shallow, restless unsatisfying night of sleep.
Ventilation:Try lowering the heat, opening a window and sleeping with a big quilt. Fresh air will keep your airway clear and prevent stuffiness.
Napping: Keep yourself from napping during the day if you are having several bad nights of sleep. This will reinforce the idea that a certain time has been set aside for sleeping.
Retraining your body and mind to relax and rest takes time and patience. Pay attention to your inner signals. Stress is all around us. It has to be faced and dealt with in a non destructive way. Rely on calming foods, stress reducing exercise and support from family and friends.