Sleep

Sleep is essential for health and well-being. But millions of people don’t get enough, resulting in such problems as daytime sleepiness, poor decision-making, interference with learning and accidents. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (specifically CBTi), which helps people identify and change their thoughts and behaviors, can help. In fact, according to one study, cognitive-behavioral therapy does a better job of reducing insomnia than sleeping pills.

How Much Sleep Do You Need?

While it varies by individual, adults 18 and above typically need at least 7 hours per night. If you are not getting enough sleep, you may wake up not feeling rested or feeling fatigued or irritable during the day. 

What You Can Do

• While missing a few Zzzzs here and there won't harm anyone, chronic sleep difficulty can really add up and cause problems in relationships, mood, and performance. The Sleep Foundation explains Sleep Debt and how to manage it. 

• Some individuals may turn to sleeping pills, melatonin, alcohol, or marijuana to improve sleep. The challenge is that while these can cause drowsiness, they can also disrupt sleep cycles causing inadequate restful sleep; cause daytime grogginess (especially sleep aids); and result in longer-term changes in the brain that impacts mood, attention, and other challenges. While these substances can help on a short-term or occasional basis for sleep onset and may even slow down rumination that often gets in the way, experts agree that they are not long-term solutions. If you find yourself relying on these things to dose off on a regular basis, it is time to check in with a professional to try a different approach.

• Check out the Sleep Foundation's Mastering Sleep Hygiene for a list of great tips on improving your sleep.

• Here are some relaxation strategies to use at bedtime. Keep in mind that they take practice to start working. Try it for 2 weeks before you say it doesn't work for you and try a variety. 

  • While deep breathing works for some, muscle relaxation can really help for others. 

  • There are also a lot of youtube videos that provide guided meditation exercises for body scans, progressive muscle relaxation and breathing for sleep. Feel free to check them out and find one that works for you! 

  • Along with the relaxation strategies, an app such as White Noise, can provide you the noise you need to relax. 

Getting Help

Often people have chronic insomnia because of learned behaviors and patterns that are getting in the way of good sleep. This can leave them staring at the clock and counting the hours that they are not sleeping before having to wake. This can cause a lot of frustration. If you have tried the sleep hygiene tips above and they don't seem to be working, reach out to counseling who can provide help!