Blog Posts

Hey everyone, welcome back to the blog.  Today I wanted to talked about sleep problems and insomnia.  I don’t know about you but I am not a person who functions very well without sleep.  After a few days of not sleeping well I can usually guarantee I am going to either feel physically sick, more irritable, or functioning in survival mode.                 

Not getting enough sleep on a regular basis can impact mood, immunity, memory, irritability, and overall functioning.               

Whether you find yourself laying in bed worrying about current challenges you are facing, unable to settle your body to sleep, or struggle with waking up throughout the night, a chronic pattern of insomnia can impact quality of life.  

We all can experience occasional periods of insomnia and sleep problems but there are things to consider to help improve sleep quality overall. Most people need 6-8 hours of sleep most nights, however some people may require 7-9 hours of sleep.  

One thing that can help is to spend some time tracking your sleep and when you feel the best the day after.  Stress and anxiety can contribute to sleep difficulties, medication changes can impact sleep, an uncomfortable bed, temperature issues, too much light or noise, and genetic factors. 

There are several tips to explore when trying to manage sleep problems and cope with insomnia. 

Having a consistent schedule of going to bed at a similar time most nights and waking up around the same time each morning can help your body adjust to the schedule.  

Keep your bedroom sleep friendly.  This includes things like keeping it dark, keeping the temperature comfortable, limiting distractions at bedtime such as tv and phone light, and doing relaxing things in your bedroom.  This helps encourage your brain to consider your bedroom a relaxing, comfortable place for rest.

When struggling with overthinking, ruminating, or anything else that may wind you up while trying to sleep; it is important to work on skills to calm your mind.  Try calming music, a sleep meditation, reading, or progressive muscle relaxation exercises.  We use a sound machine with white noise at our house that helps us sleep.  

If you find yourself tossing and turning, give yourself permission to get up and do something productive.  Staying in bed, growing in frustration about not falling asleep can actually make falling asleep harder.  

When considering sleep issues, exploring lifestyle changes such as reducing caffeine, cutting out alcohol/substance use, exercising regularly, and avoiding big meal late at night may help improve sleep.  It may also be helpful to consider a supplement like magnesium, drinking sleepy time tea, or taking a warm bath or shower before bed.  

This time of year can cause some stress and anxiety.  Exploring and managing triggers that cause stress and anxiety can also benefit sleep.  Managing worries before bedtime by talking about them or writing them down can help to set it aside for tomorrow.  

If sleep problems continue or if it feels stress or anxiety are becoming unmanageable, considering therapy to address these concerns can help improve sleep.  We also use EMDR to help with sleep problems.  Another option for those with sleeping disorders is Neurofeedback.  

Until next time, thanks for reading.  

Emilie Barragan, LCSW 

Therapeuo Health – “Tackling Physical and Emotional Pain”