If you’ve ever spent an evening tossing and turning instead of slumbering, you know how hard the following morning can be. Your head feels heavy, and everything feels like you are working through thick fog.
If you have a chronic illness, you also know how vital quality rest is to managing your condition. Yet, those of us with chronic diseases frequently have the most challenging time getting the sleep we need. Some of these tips may help, and some may not, but you won’t know unless you try!
Rather than hitting the snooze button or popping a sleep aid, why not introduce some calm into your routine? Peace allows your overstimulated brain and body to relax, making it easier and faster for you to get to sleep. You’ve got nothing to lose and a good night’s rest to gain!
Dim The Lights, Lower The Sound
Two hours before you plan to sleep, dim the lights and turn off any overhead lights if possible. If you can’t dim the lights, you can add softer lighting for specific lights during those two hours or use darker shades.
It may sound silly, but lights mimic the sun, and by dimming them, you can set your body and mind to ‘night’ mode.
Loud and exciting noises can also create excitement or overstimulation in our minds, making sleep more elusive. So, the same as the lights, two hours before you plan on sleeping, lower the volume or switch to softer-sounding music. Not only does this help your mind relax, but it also signals to your body that you are shifting to the resting stage.
End the Caffeine Early In The Day
Did you know you build up a tolerance to caffeine? As a result, this tolerance may lead you to think you can consume caffeine late into the day without it affecting you. However, caffeine is sneaky–it has a greater extended halftime than you would suspect. As a result, it stays in and affects the body longer than you think, leaving your brain and body stimulated when you should be sleeping.
It’s generally advisable to stop consuming caffeine no later than 2 pm. This gives it time to work through your system without disrupting your sleep time. As an added bonus, reducing your caffeine consumption increases your mineral absorption, reduces jitteriness, may help reduce anxiety, improve your overall mode, and for some, reduce belly fat.
Shut Off Screens
You’ve probably heard how the lights from tablets, computers, televisions, and cell phones all make it harder to sleep. Not only can the glow from these devices mess with your circadian rhythm, but they can also serve to create mental excitement when you are trying to get your mind to rest.
Shutting off the screens two hours before you plan to sleep signals to your brain that you are moving to a resting stage. It also reduces interruptions in your sleep cycle by allowing you to unwind.
Blue light blockers and filters may help reduce some interference, but they won’t prevent stimulating your brain. Mental stimulation makes relaxing harder. If you happen to play a game or respond to an emotional email/post, your body may also not be able to settle for a while either.
If you are at all like me, you may need to examine your phone habits. I had to remind myself that my emails could wait until the next day; that I didn’t need to be active on social media 24/7. Taking the time to make that assessment is an easy way to prioritize your self-care.
So what can you do during those two hours before you plan to sleep that will help you relax?
- A warm bath or shower
- Reading a book
- Listening to quiet, gentle music
- Meditating
- Journaling
- Candlelight
Take the Next Step
If you are feeling lost in the ocean of self-love and self-care ideas, or you don’t know where to begin, let’s connect and get you back to living life beyond chronic illness. Supportegy Wellness provides chronic illness support through various proven ways, including chronic illness support groups.