10 Tips For Successful Sleep
Written by clive on 4:43 AM- While up at night, avoid any activities that might promote alertness. Examples might be finishing a novel or movie to see how it ends or doing work brought home from the office. Choose something that can be easily discontinued after two minutes, fifteen minutes, or two hours - whenever you feel sleepy.
- Avoid unconsciously "punishing" youself for not sleeping by forcing yourself to do an unpleasant activity. It will be much harder to get out of bed if you think you have to face the laundry or the unbalanced checkbook.
- Make it easier on youself to get out of bed by leaving a cozy bathrobe and flashlight nearby. This way you can slip out without disturbing your partner. The house will also seem less dark, cold, and unfriendly.
- Avoid eating. If you must snack, eat a light food containing carbohydrates, calcium, soy, or dairy products. Do not indulge in sugar, alcohol, caffeine, or any other stimulating foods.
- Don't worry about following the ten-minute rule to the precise second. Estimate the ten-minute period. The point is, if you find yourself lying in bed fully awake after a reasonable amount of time, get up. But if you estimate that it's been twenty minutes and you feel youself dropping off to sleep, stay there. Avoid clock watching.
- Tell yourself to get up when the alarm clock rings, no matter how restless your night has been. This is an important step. Remember, you want to reregulate your internal associations and settle your body into a steady rhythm.
- Record your progress with reconditioning your insomnia in your sleep diary. Keeping a careful record of your sleep progress and behavior will help you gain perspective on your problem. You may spot patterns or connections you had not noticed before. Also, you'll feel a sense of mastery and hope as you see yourself making progress.
OUTWITTING INSOMNIA, ELLEN MOHR CATALANO
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