Even though you can’t come to the South Scarborough Acupuncture Clinic at the moment, there are still lifestyle changes that we can all make right now, at home, that can help to reduce anxiety and stress. Today I’m focussing on managing anxiety and stress through sleep.
Anxiety and stress can make good quality sleep more difficult to come by, but then lack of sleep can lead to increased anxiety … and so on, in a negative feedback loop. Conversely, if you can get a good night’s sleep it can help reduce anxiety and empower you to make better decisions, thereby creating a positive feedback loop.
So how do we break into the positive feedback loop?
There are different types of sleep problems but the two main ones are; difficulty falling asleep and difficulty staying asleep. The latter can often be linked with other issues such as night sweats. Some people have both problems.
5 tips for those who find it difficult to fall asleep
- Keep to a regular bedtime, arising time, or preferably both (create a going to sleep/waking up habit)
- Exercise (but not too close to bedtime)
- Find relaxing activities to do before bedtime eg. reading, listening to music (but see tip 4)
- Limit screen time close to bed time (most electronic devices give off blue light that interferes with sleep)
- Use deep breathing or meditation techniques
5 tips for those who wake often in the night
- Regulate the temperature of the bedroom ensuring that it is not too warm
- Keep the room dark throughout the night (consider blackout curtains or blinds if morning light can get through your existing ones)
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods
- Take a warm (not too hot) bath before bedtime
- Drink plenty of fluids during the day but start to limit them close to bedtime
Pick one of the tips above and apply it tonight, to help you in managing your own anxiety and stress through sleep.