Catching the Illusive Z

Do you tossing and turn all night?  Struggle against insomnia?  Do your children experience nightmares or  sleep terror? 

Catching those illusive Zzzzz's has gotten harder and harder over the years.  It might seem strange for a counseling center’s blog to tackle the issue of sleep, but the truth is that the lack of sleep is often a significant root to many of the other problems we see in our offices every day!  sleep issues are deeper than just having trouble getting to sleep and feeling tired.   Everyone knows that if they miss a night of sleep they feel tired, distracted and often down in the dumps, but how can you tell if sleep problems are multiplying issues?  Depression, anxiety, and Attention Deficit Disorder are all impacted both by the amount and the quality of sleep you get.   Yes quality counts as much as quantity does when it comes to sleep!  A recent Discovery News article discussed the link between depression and excessive light from electronics during sleep.   All this is much easier to say then change!  How can you change your sleep?    Here are a few steps and a few tips we recommend…

Keep it regular- Do your best to keep the same hours every night.   This will help your body develop a rhythm of when you should be sleeping and when you should be awake.

Watch the caffeine- you might not feel it, but caffeine and other stimulants can have a dramatic effect of your body, which in turn will have an effect on your sleep.  Cut them out of your diet starting a minimum of 6 hours prior to the time you will be sleeping!

Kill the light- many people will say that they like to sleep with the TV on, or a light on in the room, but numerous studies have shown that this keeps our bodies from getting the rest from sleep that we need! Break the habit, and kill the light!

Add exercise- I know countless people have told you to start exercising, and here is another reason!  Exercise has been shown to help fight insomnia, and may even help promote deeper sleep

Ask your spouse -If your wife or husband tell you that you snore, or pauses in breathing, or have leg movements during sleep . Take this information seriously and go talk to your doctor!   You may have a sleep disorder that needs to be treated.

How do you tackle the even harder challenge of changing your child’s sleep patterns?  Tune in later this week for a post specifically addressing children’s sleep problems!