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Fully licensed Faith-Based Clinical Counseling
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (Illinois)
Licensed Professional Counselor (Pennsylvania)
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SLEEP ETIQUETTE: FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TROUBLE SLEEPING
Posted on March 16, 2018 at 1:29 PM |
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Make your bedroom a
comfortable place. Blankets, bed
covers, and mattress should be cozy and inviting. Get extra pillows. Keep it clean and tidy and introduce pleasant
smells such as a drop of lavender oil on the sheets and bring in pleasant sounds from
nature or white noise. Do not bring
electronics to bed. Turn off the phone,
IPad, computer, and even the TV. A
modern problem that interferes with a good night’s sleep is binge watching
videos and programs in bed. The act of
just looking at a lighted screen has the effect of making a person more
awake. If waking in the middle of the
night, do not reach for a screen. Not having
a TV in the bedroom is a good idea for a person struggling with insomnia. If one must watch TV or videos late at night,
do so outside of the bedroom on a hard chair or floor with no cozy
blankets. Remember, make the bed the
most comfortable place in the world. Watch what you eat or
drink before bed. Do not drink
products with caffeine after 4 pm. Avoid alcohol. That glass of wine or shot of vodka might appear
to aid in falling asleep but can actually cause a person to be more awake and agitated
after a couple of hours. It also can interfere with the quality of sleep, cause
aspiration, and lead to nightmares. Do not eat a big or spicy meal late at
night; but on the flip side, avoid going to bed hungry. Get physical exercise
during the day. A regular program of
exercise, even a walk later in the day can help make your body more tired for
sleeping and can also help process anxieties and stressors. Do not take daytime naps, no matter how tired
during the day if nighttime insomnia is a problem. A nap can interfere with the normal sleep
cycle. Have a regular
bedtime routine that trains your body to sleep.
Have a soothing drink like herbal tea or milk. Take a warm bath, wash the face, and brush
teeth. Go to bed at the same time each
night and plan on waking the same time every morning. This helps regulate the body’s normal sleep
wake cycle. Say bedtime prayers. Sweet dreams! When in bed think of nice things that
happened during the day and/or make a mental note of what there is to be
grateful. Avoid if possible, discussing
stressful topics and having arguments with others right before bedtime. Save difficult discussions for daytime only.
Resist the urge to toss, turn, and thrash about the bed if possible unless in
physical pain. Moving only serves to
make a person more awake. Win-Win! A Catholic version of counting sheep for
insomnia is to pray the rosary. The
result is a win-win situation: Either one gets some good z’s before the first
decade or many long prayers for intentions get completed. Some find listening to a soft recording of
the rosary can help as well. A prayer to
one’s Guardian Angel can aid in putting one’s mind at ease and help one to feel
safe. Patron Saints of
Sleep? St. Joseph is a great saint
for those who are plagued with dreams (good and bad). Also St. Dymphna is the patron of mental
health. |
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