We’ve all been there. Turned out the light, got into bed, and been so wrought up we can’t doze off. And then the additional worry about not getting any sleep creeps in and all of a sudden it’s an anxiety cycle that just keeps going round and round and round.

We all need a good night’s sleep. “Sleep deprivation is associated with higher rates of depression and anxiety,” says Arianna Huffington, author of The Sleep Revolution. In addition to making you cranky and irritable, lack of sleep can lead to behavioral health issues like difficulty dealing with stressors and low energy levels. If your regular routine is to pay more attention to your life schedule than your sleep schedule, you’re probably not getting the 7-9 hours of sleep a night recommended by the CDC. And if you just laughed out loud, you’re probably sleeping much less than that.

Which can result in sleep debt, the difference between the amount of sleep your body needs and the amount you are actually getting. In other words, you’re sleep deprived. And you can’t let that go on too long before you begin to feel the effects. “It takes less than 72 hours to see the consequences of lack of sleep on mental health,” says neurobiologist Dr. Allison Brager, which can include trouble concentrating and difficulty with decision making. Rationalizing lost sleep during the week as something that can be made up on the weekend only makes it worse. Paying off sleep debt takes time – up to four days to recover from one lost hour of sleep.

Sometimes a short night’s sleep can’t be helped, like when you’re enjoying an evening with friends and have an early morning next day. But when they become the norm it’s time to take proactive sleep action. You can make sufficient sleep a habit by implementing a practice of good sleep hygiene, healthy environments and behaviors that promote falling and staying asleep:

  • Set a regular bedtime, and a time to get up, and stick to it every day – even on weekends. Creating a sleep schedule helps align your internal clock with your daily routine and trains your body to recognize when it’s time to sleep.

  • Make exercise part of your daily routine and swap heavy late night meals for a light supper about 3 hours before you go to bed. Switch to water in the afternoon to cut down on the caffeine in coffee, tea and energy drinks.

  • Create a comfortable space to sleep. Close the curtains for darkness and consider using earbuds to smooth out outside noises. Adjust the temperature to your liking with a room fan that can also serve as a white noise machine.

  • Prepare for bedtime an hour before – put down the devices, put on the comfies and relax. Read a book, listen to music, write in a journal, take a bath, anything that helps you release the stress of the day.

If you’re still feeling a bit anxious around the edges when you get into bed, doing a mindfulness meditation or using a sleep app could help you calm down. There’s a wide variety to choose from and you may have to try out a few to see which method works best for you. So lie down, stretch out, take some deep breaths and here’s some you can sample:

Leaves on a stream is a technique where you visualize intrusive thoughts drifting away. Begin by imagining leaves floating along the surface of a peaceful stream. As they go by, place each thought on a leaf and watch it float down the stream. Allow your thoughts, and the leaves, to flow naturally at their own pace. If you experience distracting thoughts, gently place them on a leaf and watch them be carried off with all the others.

The Body Scan technique can help quiet your mind and relax your muscles. Beginning at the top of your head, focus on releasing any tension you’re holding – unclench your jaw, loosen your neck, drop your shoulders. Acknowledge the physical sensation of relaxation in each area as you move your way down to uncurling your toes. If distracting thoughts try to interfere, gently redirected yourself back to relaxing and continue with the scan.

The Insight Timer app has a selection of soothing sounds for sleep and a dedicate sleep health category that includes improving sleep hygiene and guided body scan meditations. The Pzizz app is focused on promoting better sleep through a wide range of “dreamscapes” – sequences of music, voiceovers, and sound effects designed to help you fall and stay asleep. Calm’s app has a variety of guided sleep meditations, bedtime stories for grown-ups and Soundscapes where you can choose from nature sounds and white, green or brown noise.

Getting a good night’s sleep should be our top priority. It not only helps regulate our emotions but replenishes the energy we need to go out there and conquer another day. In his book Why We Sleep, Neuroscientist Dr. Matthew Walker sums it up this way: “Sleep is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health each day.” Give yourself permission to rest, and get some sleep. You deserve it.

If this sounds like you, someone you love or someone in your network, our team of Mental Health Coaches are available to help. The Recovery Coach NY honors all paths of recovery with years of experience and a vast array of resources that encourage those in need find a way to a life of joy and purpose. We listen actively, without judgement and provide solution-oriented actions that can begin to bring the peace you and your loved one seek.

We offer Recovery Coaching, Mental Health Support & Coaching, Sobriety & Mental Health Companionship, Executive Function & Accountability Coaching, Academic Coaching & Scholastic Support, Safe Transport, Case Management, Psychedelic Integration Coaching, Intervention and Emergency Services. For more information about our services, visit our website.

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