INSOMNIA SUCKS: CONQUERING THE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS

Although insomnia can be a depressing foe, there are effective strategies to reclaim your sleep and bid farewell to restless nights. Here are some actionable steps you can start taking today, because insomnia sucks and you deserve a good night of sleep – every night:

Establish a wind-down and sleep routine

There are different ways to establish a positive and calming wind-down nighttime and sleep routine.

Establishing a pre-sleep routine signals to your body that it is expected to get into sleeping mode. With practice, your body and mind will start unwinding if you are consistent and work out a routine that works for you. Things like a warm bath, reading a book, guided mediation, a warm herbal tea, listening to soothing music, or even just skin or hair care, can all be worked into your wind-down routine.

In terms of getting into a healthy sleep routine, setting a consistent bedtime and wake-up time, even on weekends, will help your body and mind stick to what they know. That routine helps regulate your internal body clock, promoting better sleep quality.

You will also want to exercise regularly during the day (just not too close to bedtime), avoid heavy meals, alcohol, or caffeine close to bedtime, get plenty of hydration, and live an overall healthy lifestyle to put your best chances on your side! And remember that your bed should only be used for sleep – avoid spending the last hours of your day reading or watching TV in bed. You want to make it clear to your brain, that laying in bed = sleeping.

Create a sleep-friendly environment

With a few tips and minimal investment, you can turn your bedroom into a sleep sanctuary. Your bedroom should be a haven for rest and restoration – a safe and positive place for you to wind down, recuperate, and sleep.

Start by ensuring that your bedroom is cool, quiet, and dark. Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows, based on your sleeping style and preferences. Add some bedding that helps your body regulate its own temperature, but that you also find pretty to look at, and soft to sleep in. Consider using noise-canceling earplugs, eye masks, or white noise machines if you find yourself bothered with ambient noises or can’t block the natural light from coming in.

Limit stimulants

Try to reduce or eliminate caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol intake, especially in the late afternoon and evening. These substances can interfere with your ability to fall asleep or maintain a deep sleep. We recommend you try a few different hours to note how quickly you feel asleep at night. What happens when your last cup of coffee is drunken at 5PM, vs. 4PM the next day, etc.?

Prioritize relaxation

Incorporate relaxation techniques into your routine, such as deep breathing exercises, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, aromatherapy, or gentle stretching. Engaging in calming activities before bed can help calm your mind and prepare your body for sleep. Working with guided meditations can install a longing for sleep, by setting your mind and body into deep relaxation. Our favorite free app is our personal go-to for times of stress and in case of struggles to fall asleep.

We have also tested the Apollo Neuro Wearable for many weeks, and have used it personally during a time of incredibly-high stress, as a way to regulate stress and anxiety, and to fall asleep faster, as well as fall back asleep when stress woke us up in the middle of the night. It is an incredible medication-free tool to induce relaxation and help your nervous system reset itself and gain control back into your life.

Limit screen time

Many of us are guilty of watching a show (or 2) at night before falling asleep… Unfortunately, the blue light emitted by electronic devices and TVs can disrupt your sleep-wake cycle. Avoiding screens at least an hour before bedtime or using blue light filters on your devices (at the very least), will help your body understand that it is sleeping time. Unfortunately, blue light signals daytime to your brain, as it mimics the waking effects of the sun.

Seek professional help

If your insomnia persists despite your best efforts, consult a healthcare professional. They can help identify any underlying causes and recommend appropriate treatment options, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) or medication.

CBT-I therapy helps you, and your medical practitioner, understand the root cause of your sleep problems, by digging deep into your thoughts and behaviors. Once identifies, it aims at replacing them with habits that support restful sleep.

Practice sleep hygiene

Adopt healthy habits that promote better sleep. This includes avoiding heavy meals close to bedtime, exercising regularly (but not too close to bedtime), and ensuring your sleep environment is clean and comfortable.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I)

CBT-I is a proven therapeutic approach that helps individuals identify and change negative thoughts and behaviors associated with sleep. It can be done individually or in group settings and has shown significant effectiveness in improving sleep quality.

Keep a sleep diary

Maintaining a sleep diary to track your sleep patterns, noting the time you go to bed, wake up, and any factors that may have affected your sleep, can be crucial to self-assess and self-treat your insomnia. This can help identify patterns or triggers that contribute to your insomnia, allowing you to make necessary adjustments.

Record things like: time of last caffeine, meal quantities and time of last food, activities during the day, stress level, bedtime routine activities, time in bed, and time you think you fell asleep and woke up. Add anything else that you feel is relevant and could potentially impact the quality of your sleep and speed you fall asleep.

Avoid clock-watching

We have all done it… Constantly checking the clock while struggling to fall sleep can create anxiety and heighten frustration. Consider removing the clock from your line of sight or turning it away to avoid the temptation of clock-watching.

Engage in regular physical activity

Living a healthy lifestyle helps in getting healthy rest at night. Regular exercise during the day can promote better sleep at night. Engaging in activities like walking, jogging, or yoga can help reduce stress, improve overall health, and contribute to a more restful night’s sleep. Making to also eat healthy and drink plenty of water.

Manage stress

Stress and anxiety can often be contributors to insomnia. Find healthy ways to manage and reduce stress in your life, such as practicing mindfulness, seeking support from loved ones, or engaging in stress-reducing activities like listening to music or engaging in a hobby. Jogging or fast-walking outdoors can be an excellent way to release stress. Guided meditations and breath work are fantastic tools that only require a few minutes of your time.

Managing your stress and anxiety is probably the hardest step to take on this list to tackle insomnia. It may also be the most efficient.

Check your napping routine

Lastly, if you are a napper, watch your napping behavior. While a short power nap can be refreshing, excessive daytime napping can disrupt your sleep-wake cycle and make it more difficult to fall asleep at night. Limit daytime napping to a maximum of 20-30 minutes if necessary, and do not nap too close to bed time.