1. Try to refrain from thinking about decisions you need to make or things you need to do the next day. Regarding decision-making, earlier in the day try to write down as many positive solutions and positive outcomes you can think of for the things about which you need to make a decision. NO NEGATIVES!! 2. Focus on diverting your attention from worrying about whether you can get to sleep to something entirely different, such as: telling yourself a joyful, safe story that you can either make up as you go, or a real-life story that you are familiar with that has happy and pleasant outcomes. Try to visually “see” the events of the story as you are telling it to yourself.
3. It cannot be emphasized strongly enough to refrain from watching news on TV, or reading newspapers shortly before retiring for the evening. Almost without fail, TV news and/or newspapers contain “bad” or negative accounts of world and local events which ultimately cause your mind to review those events again and again, thus causing lack of sleep.
4. Try not to NAP during the day.
5. For couples: DO NOT discuss important relationship issues such as finances, your children, or what you need to do tomorrow right before bedtime!! If your “significant other” insists on this practice, or the practice of watching news on TV, etc., it is important that you learn to positively assert yourself to change this negative habit.
6. Practice yawning.
7. If you exercise after work, be sure to do it before dinner. Not only will this decrease your appetite, it will also relieve many stresses of the day. “Do not invite your boss or your mean co-worker or your rival home to dinner.” (In other words, do not discuss work issues once you are home; leave them at your place of employment.)
8. During some leisure time, make a list of reasons why you want to ___________________ (get better sleep, stop an addiction, be a better parent, be more loving, etc.) Not only can this be helpful to you in getting better sleep, it can also provide you with important insights about yourself for some things in your life you hope to accomplish or to point out some changes you might feel the need to work on.
9. If you are a “tooth grinder” (many people with sleep problems are), make an appointment with your dentist. Ask the dentist about a custom tooth guard for prevention of tooth-grinding, or go to a sports equipment store and purchase a sports tooth guard (be sure to follow the instructions on the package). Use of this appliance can greatly reduce jaw pain, headaches and other related problems that can all add to the inability to sleep.
10. DO NOT pay bills or deal with money issues late at night. Do not discuss family issues as you go to bed. Do not argue with family member(s) as you go to bed. Again, do not watch TV (especially the news, talk shows, scary movies, etc.) or read newspapers prior to going to bed. This should also pertain to premature awakening during the night. (Many people turn on the TV if they awaken, thinking they will become sleepy again and fall asleep.) ALL of these actions will contribute to sleeplessness. Try to replace ALL negative thoughts with GOOD thoughts.
11. Do not go to bed feeling hungry. An appropriate bedtime snack is a banana.
12. New habits CAN be implemented. Action Therapy—changing habits—can be challenging (in a positive way), rewarding and fun. Exercises such as walking, swimming, tai chi, yoga, and qi gong, can be done during the day to encourage restful sleep at night. Develop a daily exercise program such as taking a brisk walk for one hour. Your endorphins will love you for it!! If part of your sleeplessness is due to depression, take a brisk walk after arising for the day. Do it EVERY DAY!! By doing this for yourself first thing every day, the chemicals in your brain will balance out much better for the whole day. It is a proven fact that people who regularly exercise sleep better. Remember.....exercising after work, but before dinner, can lessen your appetite and can decrease the day’s tensions.
13. If you were punished as a child by being made to “go to your room” you MUST change that association of “bad” in your mind. This can be accomplished by “reprogramming” your mind through creative or guided visualization. If during your visualization you can induce feelings of happiness, serenity and peacefulness and you practice this exercise for 30 days straight, you can become aware that sleep is enjoyable and healthy and something upon which to look forward.
14. If you experience premature awakenings, do NOT do something enjoyable, i.e., do something tedious so that your body does not want to awaken to do the pleasant thing. Return to bed when sleepy. Repeat as necessary.
15. Try to get out in the daylight/sunlight during the daytime hours. Continuous mental and physical activity is really helpful.
16. Try journaling for a minimum of 2 weeks-3 months to try to discover the problems that are causing your sleeplessness. Include what and when you are eating and drinking and what medications you may be taking. What are you doing and thinking? What are your emotional stressors (work, relationships, money, etc.)? Make sure you date your journal entries. See how these factors connect to your sleeplessness.
17. You can retrain your “biological clock.” Set your alarm clock for the same time EVERY day, even on your days off from work. This will inspire a good habit of falling asleep and awaking about the same time every day.
18. Try to refrain from sleeping on your stomach or back. The fetal position, on either the left or right side is best.
Good Night!
