Struggling to Sleep? Try These Two Sleep Hacks

Having trouble falling asleep at night? Try these two techniques to have you drifting off in no time.

Harness Your Racing Mind

If your mind starts to race the moment your head hits the pillow, you’re not alone. In fact, this is so common that some people start to link going to bed with anxiety, triggering what’s called Sleep Dread. Two things happen at night: (1) you have fewer distractions and more space to think . . . and dwell, plus (2) fatigue makes us lose perspective. So, you start to rehash the day’s irritations, worries, and any other stresses—and everything seems like a much bigger deal at that hour. Before you know it, you’re wide awake.

1. Designate a “Worry Time”/Worry Lockbox. To get a hold on your worries, designate a five-minute window every day that you record them. Write down everything bothering you: financial concerns, fears about the future, or the snarky comeback you wish you’d thought of at the time. Then, when you’re done, close it up, like locking up the worries. For one, when you see your concerns in black and white, you may realize they aren’t as bad as you thought.Second, the next time you start to worry, tell yourself that you’ll worry about it during your next worry time, but not now. If you just can’t let it go, take out your journal, write it down, then lock away the worry again. After doing this consistently for one or two weeks, you’ll find that these thoughts become less disruptive at bedtime.
2. Write down the one next step. If you still find the thoughts worrying you, take the worry lockbox a step further by writing down one next step you can take for the issue that’s bothering you. Converting a worrisome thought to an actionable step decreases its impact on your sleep.
3. Keep a notepad by the bedside. Sometimes even positive thoughts can keep you awake. Just as we fall asleep, our mind can start to wander—sometimes coming up with creative ideas or solutions. So, keep a notepad at the bedside, so you can jot down any epiphanies and go to sleep in peace.

Practice Progressive Muscle Relaxation

During my residency training at Yale University, we would work shifts in the emergency psychiatry section, and one of the ER psychiatrists taught me this technique to help fall asleep. (Because if you want to see someone who knows a thing or two about stress, talk to an ER psychiatrist.) Progressive muscle relaxation is based on tensing and relaxing muscle groups, and it has been shown to improve sleep quality and help people fall and stay asleep.

1. Get comfortable: Sit or lie down.
2. Tense the first group: Starting at your feet, push your heels down, tensing the toes as you pull them up. Really feel the tension in your feet, shins, and calves.
3. Relax the first group: After five seconds, mentally say “relax” or “let go,” and release the tension while you exhale. Notice the sensation of relaxation
4. Move up the body: Now, point your toes. Feel the tension in the front of your calves for five seconds, then relax and exhale.
5. Continue the tension/relaxation cycle while you move up your body: Tense/relax the following groups: thighs/ knees, stomach, upper back, arms and hands, neck/shoulders, and face.
6. Repeat if necessary: Repeat the cycle as needed, if you’re not already drifting to sleep.

Excerpted from Mom Hacks (Hachette)