Sleep Hygiene (continued)

8. Relax
A significant number of the patients I see with sleep problems are also stressed. This is a state of arousal of your nervous system with your body releasing adrenaline and cortisol which keeps your body in a 'fight or flight' mode. So when you go to bed worried or stressed your mind is highly active and just can't calm down. This is where training your mind in relaxation exercises (below) can make a difference.

The first thing to do is to keep work out of the bedroom – so keep your files, computer and work documents out. Don't work in bed, and avoid doing any work-related things (reading, writing reports etc.) for at least 2 hours before going to bed. Try a warm bath or a relaxing fun book to take your mind off your worries.

I cannot overemphasise the importance of trying relaxation techniques if you tend to have problems getting off to sleep or keep waking in the night.

There are many different techniques that can be useful. Some people find that yoga classes or meditation help them. I teach my patients meditation exercises as they are easy to use in bed. Here are two very simple, but highly effective, techniques:

Meditation - this is simply focussed relaxation, and aims to stop you running thoughts in your mind that may be causing you stress and stopping you sleeping. By distracting you from your worries your mind has the chance to relax. I suggest you focus on your breath.

While lying in bed, notice your breath as you inhale and as you exhale. Imagine the air entering your nostrils and entering your lungs and then imagine the air coming out as you exhale. You may want to imagine inhaling a relaxing colour and exhaling a different colour to represent your tensions/stress. If you aim to do this for a 20-minute period then the chances are that you will fall asleep.

Another relaxation technique is to relax physically. Starting with your head and working down, tense your muscles and then relax them completely. So tense the muscles around your eyes then relax, tense the muscles around your mouth and relax, and so on.

You may also like to investigate learning self-hypnosis techniques, as these can help to induce a very relaxed and refreshing sleep.

Do you snore?

People who snore certainly suffer disturbed sleep and the tendency is more common in those who are overweight, smokers and after a lot of alcohol. If you know you are a snorer I strongly suggest looking at these factors first and discussing them with your GP who may be able suggest further management of the snoring.

If you think you have a sleep disorder I would suggest discussing it with your GP who may want to arrange some tests to exclude physical causes, or you may be referred to have a sleep study, when you are monitored overnight to assess your breathing, heart rate and sometimes your brainwave patterns to identify the possible cause of your sleep disorder.

It's all too easy for us to think about sleep as something that just happens, but the benefits of a really good night's sleep are worth a little time and effort. Almost everyone can benefit from this Sleep Hygiene advice. It should help you to get the best out of your time asleep and leave you refreshed and revitalised, ready to face the day ahead.

  < previous   Page 3 of 3

Content last updated: 25/08/2005

About our doctor

As a GP, Dr Natheera Indrasenan realised she was seeing more and more patients with panic attacks, phobias, anxiety, low self-esteem and depression which could have been prevented if they were taught preventative skills. As a result she became passionate about teaching people preventative strategies using Neurolinguistic programming and Coaching skills to manage stress and to be more motivated and confident in their lives.

Dr Indrasenan now trains doctors in using these techniques with their patients, for themselves (doctors often have their own stresses to cope with!) and also members of the general public.

Comments