I’m pretty sure I have already told you guys that I suffer from anxiety. Couple that with being an introvert that would rather stay to themselves and the conversations that I have in my head are non-freaking-stop. I’ve learned to cope with it pretty well (and even have tried out some apps that help) but my anxiety and overthinking usually brings another friend along with them. Hello insomnia. Anxiety and a good nights sleep do not couple well. Some nights it seems like no matter how much I try to relax my mind, I cannot turn the switch off in my brain and go to sleep. I’ve come up with some easy and effective methods to calm myself down, shut the switch off and at least get a couple hours of sleep.
Journal before bed – This helps to get the ideas out of my head. I find that if I write down at least some of the trillion things that I am thinking about, they stay out long enough for me to fall asleep. Journaling also helps me remember things because… mommy brain. I come up with some pretty good content ideas when I can’t sleep. Write it down so it’s out of your head.
Listen to music – And then my focus is on one thing. Music has always been one of the ways I was able to get out of my head. We cosleep (unfortunately LOL) so I’m not in the bed doing any late night karaoke. But singing along in my head helps zero in on one thought.
Read until you’re asleep – That probably sounds bad. And I’ll admit I don’t read nearly as much as I used to. But I used to love reading. I’m able to block everything out around me. Just like listening to music it helps my thoughts zero in on a specific thing so I’m not thinking about 8297008980420 other things.
Meditation and Relaxation – This method actually takes a lot more effort for me. Calming myself down is a process. Since meditation involves actively focusing on one thing I have to actually WORK to make this work. But coupled with deep breathing it not only calms my mind but my entire body.
No caffeine a few hours before bed – My insomnia in my 20s used to be WAY worse than it is now. I quickly found out that caffeine any time after 6 is my enemy. I cut out the red bull (I know, don’t judge me) and I make sure to limit my soda/coffee intake. If you already have problems getting to sleep on your own you don’t need any assistance.
These are only a few ideas that help me but when researching I’m sure you can find a ton of other ideas. Aromatherapy, essential oils and weighted blankets are all things I have heard great reviews on but have not tried myself. I do recommend trying out a few different methods and seeing what works for you. Everybody is different, and every night is different. Some nights I can write and go to sleep and some nights I have to try 3 different methods before I am able to calm myself down. Anxiety and a good nights sleep don’t often go hand and hand but it doesn’t have to be crippling. And of course, if you feel like it’s something you cannot manage alone then you should definitely seek professional help.
Do you suffer from anxiety or insomnia? What are some things that help you get to sleep?
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