Well, you certainly have company.
This year, the Center for Disease Control reports that 1 in 3 Americans don't get enough sleep (defined as 7 hours or more per day).
In 2013, the CDC found that 1 in 25 Americans used prescription medications for going to and staying asleep.
What can you do to help yourself get "forty winks"?
Pay attention to your sleep hygiene
--Pick a regular time for going to bed and stick to it.
--An hour before bedtime start your preparation for sleep.
With nightly repetition each step in the preparation will become associated with sleep onset.
Perhaps you'll start with a warm bath, a cup of herbal tea, setting out your things for the morning or reading a few pages of a book.
Whatever you choose, make it a ritual.
Whatever you choose, make it a ritual.
--Keep your sleeping area clear of electronics.
Experts tell us that it's important that we stop screen time at least an hour before going to bed.
That means no email, no video games and no IPads. The blue light that comes with these devices interferes with the sleep-inducing hormone, melatonin.
---Clear your mind.
Yes, it sounds like strange instruction, but a head that is grinding on the leftovers of today or anticipating the events of tomorrow will have a hard time easing into sleep.
There are a variety of ways to empty our heads. You can do a progressive relaxation exercise, a body scan, or a guided meditation that will help you focus on your breathing, not your brooding.
You can practice with sleep meditation "how tos" on YouTube,
or check out sleep meditation apps on Itunes or Google Play.
Here are a few:
Sleep Easily by Shazzie
Buddhify's Going to Sleep mode,
Headspace's Sleep podcast
If none of these do the trick, consider getting a referral for an evaluation at a local sleep clinic. Insurance should cover this service when recommended by your primary care physician. Often they can identify physical conditions, like sleep apnea, that impede a good night's rest.
There are many paths to take before prescription medicine becomes your "go to"
Til next, take care and sleep well.
You can practice with sleep meditation "how tos" on YouTube,
or check out sleep meditation apps on Itunes or Google Play.
Here are a few:
Sleep Easily by Shazzie
Buddhify's Going to Sleep mode,
Headspace's Sleep podcast
If none of these do the trick, consider getting a referral for an evaluation at a local sleep clinic. Insurance should cover this service when recommended by your primary care physician. Often they can identify physical conditions, like sleep apnea, that impede a good night's rest.
There are many paths to take before prescription medicine becomes your "go to"
Til next, take care and sleep well.
