Sleep should be a peaceful time. It is vital for physical and mental recuperation after a challenging day. Many, however, are unable to experience the full benefits of rest.
Disturbances in sleep fall on a broad spectrum. They can manifest as the occasional evening spent struggling to nod off, as multiple sleepless nights spent tossing and turning each week, and everything that falls in between.
The Vicious Cycle
Sleep can become yet another source of stress when it is not the recuperative experience it is intended to be. This can lead to feelings of dread or apprehension as bedtime draws near. In addition to personal goals, family responsibilities, school commitments, work deadlines, etc., troublesome sleep can actually provide another concern that keeps folks up at night.
Thus, struggling to obtain meaningful rest can ultimately result in obtaining less meaningful rest. I know this sounds like some kind of riddle, but it is any easy trap to fall into if the underlying issue is not caught early. The trick is utilizing the right tools.
Tricks of the Trade
Doing your due diligence and researching tricks that may help you achieve better sleep is just part of the answer. These tricks are just words on a piece of paper or computer screen if they are not properly employed.
Ideas like “limiting screen time in bed” or “abstaining from caffeine consumption” after 4pm seem easy enough to implement. However, targeting these concepts if they don’t necessarily apply to you simply allows the underlying issue to persist.
Sleep Journal
This is where the sleep journal comes in. Journaling may be an ideal place to start…ground zero. This practice can help you target precisely what matters most.
As a gift, we are offering you a free journal that you can customize to your daily experiences! This allows you the opportunity to describe objective data such as the time you typically drink coffee or tea, how long you spend on your tablet after dinner, what you snack on before bed, and the time you plan to retire for the evening.
Your journal also provides the opportunity to subjectively jot down thoughts and feelings surrounding each event…why you watched 2 more hours of TV than what is typical, why you chose a second round of desert for your late night snack, or what thoughts raced through your head as you struggled to fall asleep.
Finding the ability to achieve meaningful sleep can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t know where to start. Use your sleep journal as the road map to get you on the right track.
The path to improved sleep and reduced stress starts here!
If you like reading about Dr. Dugarte’s healthy lifestyle articles you will certainly love hearing from him email tips just for you. Subscribe to our seven-day Sleep Improvement course here!