Surely everyone at least once in their life faced an unexpected alarm in the middle of the night-obsessive thoughts, deadlines, important events on the eve. A person begins to persuade himself to sleep, counts sheep, tries to distract himself, at least just lie down. And inside he begins to get angry, which further exacerbates the feeling of panic and anxiety. What can you do in this case?
listen TO your BREATHING
We have sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems (NS). Residents of large cities and megacities are constantly under stress, activating the sympathetic NS. It turns on with a normal inhale and short exhalation and gives the signal: “hit or run!”. To help her come parasympathetic NS, which relaxes the body. A slow deep breath and an extended exhalation give the signal: “All is well, there is no danger.” Try to breathe this way for a while.
CHOOSE A COMFORTABLE SLEEPING POSITION
Scientists disagree on which position is best to sleep in. Much depends on individual characteristics and medical indications. It is good if you have correctly selected bedding sets: a comfortable pillow, mattress, bed linen made of natural fabrics. But most often, for a quick “falling asleep”, a pose that is convenient for you is suitable. Love to sleep in the fetal position – then rather accept it and continue to monitor your breathing!
THROW out the THOUGHTS that are BOTHERING YOU
You are going on a trip, and you are worried about whether you have taken everything. Or you try not to forget that tomorrow, before you take your child to school, you need to stop at the dry cleaners. Also, the chief asked me to make a couple of important calls… Stop! Stand up, grab a piece of paper, or open notes on your phone. Write down a detailed plan of action for tomorrow. Make an agreement with yourself that you will definitely think about everything tomorrow. You will return to your list after a good night’s sleep and with a clearer mind.
ELIMINATE ACTIVE LOADS BEFORE BEDTIME
If you often suffer from insomnia, completely exclude active sports before going to bed. This provokes the activation of adrenaline, heart palpitations, etc., which will not allow you to fall asleep for some time, perhaps for a long time. Didn’t have enough time to work out in the morning or in the afternoon? Give preference to relaxing practices-yoga, Pilates, stretching.
TURN ON THE LIGHT
Often the darkness increases the feeling of anxiety. Turn on the night light or lamp. It may seem childish to turn on the light to calm down, but it’s a quick fix that will give you a nice sense of control. In the end, it’s better to calm down and laugh at yourself, rather than spend hours wondering if you see an ordinary shadow or a scary monster.
READ A BOOK
Of course, the book can captivate, and then the dream will disappear completely. But it often happens that when reading begins to “knock out”. So, this advice is not for everyone, but it is usually working.
If nothing helps, don’t force yourself to sleep!
Sometimes we just can’t sleep — it’s normal. You may even feel that physically your body really wants to rest. However, if none of the advice above helps, just relax and accept the fact that you are unlikely to fall asleep right now. Take the time to do something else — clean the room, turn on a series of documentaries, do whatever you think is important and necessary. Yes, you will be sleepy in the morning, but you will not be angry that you spent three or four hours falling asleep.