|
Make sure you're not taking in stimulants for several hours before bed too (caffeine especially).
What happens when you try to fall asleep? If my mind is racing, I use numerous different stress management techniques. I especially like this one:
Take in a deep breath through your nose, hold for a count of 5, release in a big whoosh through your mouth (cleansing breath).
Take the deep breath and point your toes as hard as you can, one foot at a time. After the count of 5, relax your muscles again and let the breath go.
Do that with each muscle group... toes, ankles(point or flex), tighten knees, hips, push out stomach hard, make fists, tighten elbows, lift shoulders to ears, clench jaw.. you get the idea? With each muscle, you tighten it up, deep breath, release after a count of 5.
This does several things. First, it makes you focus on something other than what your mind is racing about. Second, it causes a physical relaxation response. After you've trained yourself in this, you will probably fall asleep before you get to the hips.
Imagery works better for some people. Listening to a tape with nature sounds, waves, a thunderstorm.. whichever noises you think would relax you could be very useful. While you're listening though, you try to picture the scenery.
I had a hard time falling asleep when I was little because I had night terrors. My mom used to have me imagine that I was floating on a big pink (my fave color) cloud. It worked great for me so I guess these other things are along the same line.
I used to teach relaxation/stress management classes and I loved it. Another one of my favorites is just bring myself down any time I'm starting to feel stressed by imagining myself going down a stairwell very slowly, counting the steps down from 10 to 1.
Now, I mainly have insomnia as a PMS thing, and more frequently now that I'm peri-menopausal. I know when things are going to happen because I can't sleep the night before. At those times, I do have to resort to Benadryl because it's just totally physical. I would try the other types of techniques first though.
Dee
|
Threaded Mode