Anxiety Getting In the Way of a Good Night’s Sleep? Try These Scientifically Backed Tips For Healthier Sleep Tonight!
Many Struggle Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
Ever hear the phrase “I can sleep when I’m dead?” It’s a common belief in our society that seems to never shut down with constant checking of email, working from home at all hours, and a sense of panic if you cannot find your phone! Add to this a lack of understanding of what good sleep habits look like, and any anxiety or stress in your life can expand pretty quickly. Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep is a very common symptom of many anxiety disorders, so it is important to learn healthy sleep habits.
While many people resort to sleeping pills and over the counter sleep medications, the field now recommends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (or CBT-I) for the first line of treatment. While a future blog post will go more into CBT-I, here are some scientifically backed tips for better sleep.
Quick Caveat: It is important to note that these healthy sleep tips are for individuals that do not have a diagnosed sleep disorder such as insomnia or sleep apnea (there are others). If you have an actual sleep disorder, please see your physician or counselor for treatment.
Create and Stick to a Regular Sleep Schedule
Our minds and bodies crave habits and routines, and falling asleep is no different. One easy starting point is to start going to bed and waking up on a consistent schedule. Try to shoot for 7-9 hours nightly if possible. If not, still try to have a consistent schedule (including weekends). If you miss a day here or there, try to get back into your routine as quickly as possible. Parents with young kids know the importance of this…just ask them!
Limit Alcohol and Caffeine in Afternoons and Evenings
Do your best to limit your caffeine and alcohol intake if you are having difficulty sleeping…especially in the afternoon and evening. Both of these drugs significantly impacts sleep even in small doses. While some people think alcohol helps you fall asleep, it significantly impacts the quality of your sleep. From a personal perspective, Dr. Gnilka notes that one alcoholic beverage with dinner does not impact his sleep. However, two or more drinks causes significant disruption to his sleep. So do yourself a favor and give it a break for now.
Keep Your Bedroom Dark at Night
During the morning and early afternoon, get into the light. Open the blinds in the house and take a walk outside if you have the time. But when it is time to go to sleep, make your bedroom as dark as possible. Invest in black out curtains and try to limit any other light from other sources.
Keep Your Bedroom Cool
While individual results vary, keeping your room cooler (upper 60s) is ideal. Try to also stay warm enough in bed but avoid having too many blankets resulting in waking up hot and sweating. There are other products in the market to help keep you cool at night if you are a warmer sleeper, so don’t be afraid of trying these out.
Never Lie Awake in Bed
If you struggle to fall asleep or wake up in the middle of the night and cannot fall back asleep within 15-20 minutes, simply get out of bed and go into another room. Only come back to bed when you are feeling sleepy again. The reason for this is you want your brain to only pair your bedroom with sleep and sex. If you lie awake in bed while doom scrolling on your phone or watching TV, your brain now starts to connect those stimulating activities with the bed. Don’t do that.
We hope these five tips jump start you on your way to healthier sleep.
Need More Help With Anxiety and Sleep?
If you are feeling anxious or stressed and having difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, consider anxiety counseling at Sequoia Counseling Group. We offer free 15-minute consultations to help answer any questions or concerns you have. In Las Vegas, we have in-person and virtual sessions. We also have virtual sessions across the states of California, Nevada, Georgia, and Virginia.
Dr. Philip B. Gnilka is the Clinical Director and Founder of Sequoia Counseling Group, a boutique mental health practice that serves clients in Las Vegas, NV. His experience as a tenured professor in mentoring students about counseling approaches and theories reinforced his passion for helping individual clients directly. He specializes in anxiety, stress management, and perfectionism.