Conquering Your Sleep Cycle
Sleep can be a tricky thing - from struggles to falling or staying asleep, to nightmares or fears of the boogeyman; adults, teenagers, and children can all be affected by the inability to sleep. While we know that poor sleep quality can make us tired or irritable the next day, the ongoing inability to fall or stay asleep can also have long-term impacts on our physical, mental, and cognitive well-being.
From a mental health perspective, an inability to sleep or insomnia has historically been viewed as a symptom of mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), however recent studies indicate that a lack of sleep or poor sleep quality may also have a causational relationship with some psychiatric disorders.
So, what can you do if you or your child are struggling with sleep? Check out a few of the ideas below!
Improve Your Sleep Hygiene
Your sleep hygiene is a vital part of your physical and mental health all year round and may look different for each person. If you find yourself struggling to fall or stay asleep, take a look at your sleep schedule and pre-bedtime routines. Consider making small changes to the time you go to sleep or wake each day to give yourself more consistency or change your activities 30 minutes before bed to reduce exposure to bright lights and stimuli, such as screens.
If those small changes aren't helping, take a look at your environment or consider reducing the amount of time spent in the bedroom to training your brain to associate the room with sleep. Try out a few things and see what works best for you!
Try Meditation Before Bed
Meditation at any time of the day is known to have a wide range of benefits for physical and mental health, however practicing meditation before bed has been shown to reduce insomnia, fatigue and depression. Whether it's listening to a guided meditation on an app or YouTube, or simply practicing deep breathing while focusing on the present. Any form of meditation before sleep can improve your sleep cycle.
Write Down Your Worries
Struggle with ruminating thoughts before bed or going through the next day's to-do list? Don't worry, you're not alone. Studies have found that taking some time before bed to practice journaling or writing down your to-do lists can reduce anxiety, and depression, and support individuals in falling asleep faster. Physically writing down thoughts, concerns or lists on paper before bed rather than thinking about them in your head can provide a more restful night's sleep.
Have a child that voices their worries right before bedtime? Like adults, this is a common time for many of our concerns and fears to come up, and while talking about these worries with your little one is beneficial, try to avoid doing so right before bed. Instead, determine a designated "worry time" during the day and explore with your child how they would like to express those worries and whether or not they would like to do so with you or alone! Having this time to allow their brain to worry during the day may help alleviate some of those pre-bedtime concerns!
Consider the Other Factors Impacting Your Sleep
There are a wide variety of psychological and physiological factors that may be impacting your ability to sleep. For example, medical concerns such as arthritis, hyperthyroidism, headaches, and more can impede our ability to sleep. Other factors that may be interrupting your sleep cycle can include caffeine intake, alcohol, and drug use. Lastly, sleep disorders such as sleep apnea or nocturnal myoclonus can also severely impact sleep and may require attention from a medical professional.
Try Counselling
People of all ages are affected by sleep concerns. If you find yourself, your partner or your child struggling to fall or stay asleep, consider counselling. At Rebound Total Health, our counsellors offer in-person, virtual, or telephone counseling and work with adults, couples, families, teenagers, and children looking for support with a variety of concerns and symptoms, including sleep and sleep anxiety.
Not sure which counsellor may be the best fit for you or your loved one? No problem! Consider booking a free consultation and we will match you with someone based on your needs and preferences, so you, your child, or your family can get a good night's sleep!
