Having the best sleeping habits for yourself is very important for mental health. Without the proper amount of restful sleep, it can be very difficult to function. Research shows that during sleep, your body heals damages cells, boosts your immune system, recharges your heart, and helps you recover from the day’s activities. As the mind and body are interconnected, it is vital to allow yourself the necessary sleep to help on these physical levels.
When you don’t get enough sleep, it often results in drowsiness, irritability, and lack of focus. Think about it; when you are tired do you feel at your best? The answer is likely no. If this continues as a general pattern, it can also increase feelings of anxiety and depression.
The bottom line is, it is very important to create the best sleeping habits for yourself so that you can most effectively go about your daily life. The first step is knowing how much sleep your body needs each night. It is generally recommended to get 8 hours of sleep a night. However, since it is different for each person, make sure to figure out what your sleep needs are.
BEST SLEEPING HABITS: IMPROVE RESTFUL SLEEP
This is all about having a sleep routine to maintain on a consistent basis.
- Create a bedtime schedule. Have a specific bedtime and wake up time that is the same for each day. The more routine your sleep schedule is, the more your body is best regulated for the sleep you need. Try to keep close to your schedule on weekends. It is not always realistic to go to bed and wake up the same time every day. The goal is to be as consistent as possible, keeping a general schedule.
- Know how napping affects nighttime sleep. Generally, best practices are to avoid napping, especially when the nap is longer than 20 minutes. Get clear on how napping affects you. Does it leave you feeling groggy and still tired? Will it keep you from sticking to your bedtime schedule? Know the effects napping has on you and try to avoid napping in ways that will negatively impact your functioning for the rest of the day and your nighttime sleep.
- Your bed is only for sleeping. Set your body up for sleep as soon as you get into bed by only using your bed for sleep. Try and avoid reading, watching t.v., talking on the phone, or any other activities in your bed. That way, once you get into your bed, your mind is getting signals that it’s time for sleep.
- Set yourself up for sleep. Know what conditions you best sleep in, and set that up when it’s bed time. This includes things like shutting the lights, setting the right temperature, turning on a fan, or a white noise machine if that’s what you need to sleep.
- Give yourself enough time to fall asleep. Know how long it takes you to fall asleep and give yourself that extra time when determining how many hours between bedtime and waking up. For example, if it generally takes you 30 minutes to fall asleep and you need about 8 hours of sleep to feel rested, go to bed 8 hours and 30 minutes before you have to wake up.
BEST SLEEPING HABITS: FOR TIMES WHEN ANXIETY IS KEEPING YOU AWAKE
These tools are to help stop the ruminating anxiety so that your mind is ready for sleep.
- Do a breathing exercise. Focus your attention on your breathe. As you inhale say “inhale 1,” and as you exhale say “exhale 1.” Do this for a count of 10. Repeat if necessary.
- Change your body chemistry. This is about calming your body so that your mind will calm down and be ready for sleep. One way to do this is to put your face in a bowl of cold water or use an ice pack. Hold your breath and keep your face in the water or the ice pack on your face for 30 seconds. Another way to do this is a paired muscle relaxation. Inhale while also tensing up a muscle in your body and hold for 5 seconds, then release the muscle and exhale. Move through all body parts from head to toe.
- Focus on body sensations. Ask yourself what are you seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting, and smelling. Really focus on what you are experiencing through each sense. Take time to note the specifics.
- Distract yourself until you feel tired. Engage in an activity that will shift your attention. Some examples include reading, watching t.v., listening to music, or getting a light snack.
- If it’s solvable, solve it, if not, cope ahead. If you are ruminating about something that you can deal with now, then allow yourself to leave your bed and take care of it. For example, if you remember that you forgot to reply to an important e-mail, it’s ok to get up and respond then. If you cannot solve it, for example, if you are anxious about a presentation the next day, use the DBT cope ahead skill. This skill is where you imagine yourself in the situation causing anxiety, and picture yourself being successful and things going well. You should also imagine the feared outcomes, but watch yourself problem solve and handle it well.
The ultimate goal is to know what best sleeping habits work for you. It’s ok if not all the above tips work for you or are always realistic. In practice, use what works, and don’t beat yourself up if you sometimes veer off that path.
Trouble sleeping can be stress related. To help better manage stress and sleep better, download your free stress management guide here.
Alyssa Mairanz, LMHC, DBTC
Alyssa Mairanz provides counseling and therapy services for life transitions, relationship issues, self esteem, depression, anxiety, and DBT and Psychodynamic therapy in a NYC group practice in the Flatiron District near Madison Square Park. She also serves the Village, Chelsea, Union Square, the Financial District and the surrounding areas.
Empower Your Mind Therapy’s mission is to helps our clients build the life they want and find more happiness and satisfaction.
