Feeling down lately? There’s a good chance your sleep schedule is to blame. Poor sleep can make you more vulnerable to anxiety, depression, and other challenging emotions. It can leave you feeling stretched too thin and like you can’t catch up with your daily life. Worse, it often leads to a self-enforcing cycle: Less sleep leads to more stress leads to less sleep, on and on and on.
Fortunately, you have the power to break the cycle. Valery Molone has come up with these tips to help you figure out an effective approach to getting the rest you need to thrive:
Enhance Your Sleep Space
Does your bedroom put rest first?
● The right environment can make or break your ability to fall and stay asleep.
● For example, you might have too much light in your room — an eye mask or set of blackout curtains can help.
● Speakers are perfect for playing white noise or soothing music while you wind down at night.
● If possible, remove blue-light-emitting screens such as televisions, computers, and mobile devices.
Focus on Physical Health
Taking good care of your body can make a big difference for your sleep.
● Daily exercise has been linked with better quality sleep.
● Avoid eating heavy or spicy food late at night to prevent heartburn.
● Consult your doctor to make sure you don’t have any nutrient deficiencies that could cause stress or poor sleep.
Address Your Psychological Needs
Stress that causes poor sleep is trying to tell you something — here’s how to listen:
● Consider keeping a journal to try and identify patterns that lead to poor sleep.
● Mindfulness meditation can help you learn to step out of the thought patterns that keep you awake.
● Try to create a positive experience for yourself every day in order to develop happier mental habits.
A better night’s sleep won’t solve all of your problems, and it’s certainly not a cure-all for mental health issues. However, it will empower you and make you better able to cope with the challenging emotions that come your way. We hope this article helps you get the sleep you deserve.
Looking for advice tailored to your life? Take a look at Valery’s life coaching services.
This article was written by Cheryl Conklin.
* Tell me in the comments below: What’s your relationship with sleep and what strategy or insight from this post can you put into action, starting tonight?
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