SLEEPING
DIFFICULTIES
At
some point in life one in three adults report some degree of insomnia.
If you are having trouble sleeping, certain changes in your lifestyle
can help you regain a good night’s sleep.
How
Much Sleep Do You Need?
The
need for sleep varies widely from individual to individual. If
you are sleeping “only” 5 hours a night but waking
up feeling alert, oriented and energetic, that is probably all
the sleep you need. Other people need 8 to 10 hours to feel well
rested. Your need for sleep may decrease if you are exercising
regularly and doing things you enjoy. Conversely, if you are under
a lot of stress or have become less active, your need for sleep
may increase. Experiment to find the right amount of sleep for
you.
Strategies
for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
Setting
your body clock
• Keep a regular schedule for sleeping. Go to bed at about
the same time and get up at the same time, every day. If you get
to bed late or haven’t slept well, don’t oversleep
to try to make up for the lost time. Sleeping late for even a
couple of days can reset your body clock to a different cycle.
•
Go to bed later when you are having trouble falling asleep, not
earlier. If you are only managing 5 hours of sleep a night, don’t
go to bed until 5 hours before you have to get up. When all your
time in bed is good sleep time, then begin moving your going-to-bed
time back 15 to 30 minutes a night, until gradually you work your
way up to a full night’s sleep.
•
Light helps restart you body clock to its active, daytime phase.
In the mornings, open the curtains, go outside and get some sunlight,
if possible, or turn on all the lights in the room.
• Try not to nap, especially on the day after you haven’t
slept well. If you must nap, limit it to 20 minutes or so. Any
longer and it will interfere with your ability to sleep that night.
Exercise
and diet
• Exercise regularly. Keeping physically active during the
day is one of the best things you can do to promote restful sleep.
Be cautious of exercising in the evenings; however, as this tends
to keep many people awake.
•
Avoid caffeine after 12 noon. This includes coffee, tea, and caffeinated
soda! Also be wary of chocolate, which contains a fair amount
of caffeine as well.
•
Avoid late, high-fat, or spice-laden dinners, which are harder
to digest. For an evening snack choose carbohydrates and milk,
both of which contain tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin, the
neurotransmitter believed to be associated with triggering sleep
onset.
•
Avoid or cut down on alcohol when you are having trouble sleeping.
Alcohol may make you sleepy initially, but it results in shallow,
disturbed sleep, abnormal dream periods, and frequent early morning
awakening.
Getting
ready for bed
• Develop a bedtime routine. Stop doing anything that is
stimulating (such as physical activity, listening to loud music,
or watching a violent or dramatic TV show) 30 minutes before going
to bed. Do something relaxing, such as reading light material
or listening to quiet music.
•
Take a long, hot bath before going to bed. Baths are soothing
and help relax your muscles. Avoid showers, on the other hand,
as they seem to wake people up.
•
Pay attention to your environment. Most people sleep much better
in a cool room (60 degrees or so). Some people sleep better if
there is some “white noise” in the background, such
as a fan, while others need absolute quiet. Determine what’s
best for you and try to arrange your bedroom accordingly.
•
Bed should be for sleeping. Don’t get into a pattern of
reading, watching TV, eating, arguing or talking on the phone
from bed. When you get into bed you want your body to assume you
are doing so to go to sleep, not to continue the day’s activities.
•
If you are in bed and unable to sleep, get up and do some quiet
activity for a time. Read, play solitaire, or write letters until
you start to feel sleepy again. Then go back to bed. Turn your
clock away from you so you are not focusing on how late it is
getting. Doing so will only leave you feeling more frustrated
and make it harder to relax and go to sleep.
•
If you wake up during the night, relax in bed for a short while.
If you can’t go back to sleep, get up and do some quiet
activity until you are sleepy again. Repeat this if necessary.
•
Sleep medications may provide some short-term relief if your insomnia
is transitory. They are not good for chronic insomnia, however,
as over the long term they can cause significant changes in the
sleep cycle. See your physician or University Health Services
if you would like to know more about sleep medication.
Other
things you can do
• Insomnia is almost always a symptom of something else,
such as stress, relationship problems, worry about grades or money,
and so forth. One trick many find effective is keep a pencil and
paper handy, and when you can’t sleep write down what’s
bothering you. If you are feeling overwhelmed by all the things
you have to get done, make a “to-do” list. Tell yourself
you’ll deal with these things in the morning, and try to
put them out of your mind.
•
Relaxation and stress reduction techniques can help a great deal
when you are having problems sleeping. Counseling Services offers
individual counseling for stress management and stress management
workshops fall and winter semesters. Many health insurance plans
also offer classes through local hospitals (check your medical
insurance). Yoga, tai chi, biofeedback or meditation can also
help you sleep better. (Yoga and tai chi are offered through Eastern
Michigan University’s REC-IM.) There are also audio tapes
available for purchase from most bookstores with relaxation instructions
and soothing music.
Counseling Services
Eastern Michigan University
Snow Health Center, Top Floor
734. 487.1118
