Posted17thNovember2014:
HavingSleepProblems?‘SleepHygiene’advicebasedonCognitiveBehaviouralTherapycan
help.
Isn’titawfulwhenyoucan’tsleep?Themoresleep-deprivedweare,thelesswellwecan
concentrate.Peoplecangetirritated;somestartover-eating;workgetshardertogetthrough;
ourbodiesmaybecomemoreopentoinfection.
Puttingupwithnightsbrokenbynoisyneighbours,sickchildren,orotherpeople’sspare
mattressescanbebadenoughatthebestoftimes.IncounsellingIseemanyclientswhoare
depressedoranxious,andnotabletosleep.Theycan’tgettosleepwhentheygotobed,or
theywakeinthenightandliethereforagesgoingoverandovertheirproblemsandworries
againandagain.
Unfortunately,sleepproblemsareatypicalside-effectoflowmood,alongwiththattendencyto
worryovertheinsolubleproblems–stuffwecan’tfixduringthedaycertainlyisn’tgoingtoget
fixedbythinkingaboutitallnight,afterall.Andoftenthelesssleepweget,theharderitisto
fightbacktoahappierwayofcoping.
Sowhat’s‘normal’?Wearedaytimeanimals,builttobeawakeinthedayandhard-wiredtorest
duringthehoursofdarkness.That’swhynightshiftworkingcanbesodifficultformanypeople.
Howmanyhourssleepdoesanadultneed?Believeitornotthereisn’treallyanydefinitive
guidanceonthis.ApparentlythelateMargaretThatcherthrivedonfourhourssleepanight,
whichisratherafrighteningthoughtformanyofus.It’sunlikelythatweallneedeightstraight
hours,butlessthanfiveorsixintotalmayleavesomepeoplefeelingunrefreshed.
Doessleepreallyneedtobeuninterrupted?Historianssaythatbeforeaffordableartificial
lightinginthehomeandoutdoorsmostpeoplewenttobedatnightfallandgotuparound
dawn.Inwinterparticularlythatwasalongtime–morethaneighthours,certainly.Buttheir
habitwastosleepforthreeorfourhours,thenspendsometimeawake-maybetwohoursor
sotalking,reading,havingsex–thentheywouldgohavetheir‘secondsleep’.Sointerrupted
sleepisn’tnecessarilyalwaysunhealthy.
Gettinguptogotothebathroominthemiddleofthenightisabsolutelynormalformany
people,bothmenandwomen,particularlyinmiddleandolderage.Rulingoutthosewithan
underlyingmedicalcondition,mostlyourbladdersjustdon’twanttoholdoutallnightany
more.Mostpeoplesimplygetup,gototheloo,andgobacktobed.Ifyouaredoingthisthen
gettingbacktosleep,it’slikelyyoudonothaveaninsomniaproblem.Infactworryingthatyou
haveaproblemmightactuallyresultinyouincreasingyouranxietylevelfornoreason,and
keepingyourselfawake.
Thebest,mostup-to-dateadviceforsolvingsleepproblemshasbeendevelopedthrough
CognitiveBehaviouralTherapy.You’llfindlotsofthis‘SleepHygiene’adviceontheinternet,
usuallygivingthesamebasicsetofideas.It’sbasedonthefactthatwearemore-or-less
programmedtosleepatnight,andthatsleepisoneofthemostprimitive,habit-basedand
habit-formingfunctionswecarryout.
Hereisabasicsetofinstructions:
Regularbedtimeandwake-uptime.Gotobedandgetupatthesameregulartimeeveryday(or
atleasteveryweekday);thinkofmidnightasyourcut-offpoint.Donotnapduringthedayto
make up for lost sleep – you’re likely simply to set up a napping routine that will not help a
returntonormalnightsleeppatterns.
Havearegular,gentlegoing-to-bedroutineandstartwindingdownatleastanhourbeforeyou
wanttobeinbedandreadytosleep.
Avoidstimulants.Theaimistocloseyourselfdownforsleep,soavoidallstimulants.Eatearlyso
you have time to digest your dinner before bed. In the evening avoid caffeine, alcohol and
substances like cannabis. People tend to assume that alcohol and drugs help them relax and
therefore get to sleep. Apart from the fact that alcohol and weed can add to depression, the
truthisthattheymayrelaxyouintoasortofsleepbutthistypeofsleeptendstobelightand
short-lasting;yourbraincan’tgetintoapropersleepmodeandyoumaywaketoosoonandnot
refreshed.
Keepcoolanddark.Yourbedroomatnightshouldbedark,cool,quietandcalm.Sleepisabout
rebootingyourbrainandbody:trytomakeyourenvironmenthelpthat.Ifyouwaketogotothe
bathroom,trynottoputontoomanylights.Gotothebathroomthenstraightbacktobed.
Bedroomsareforsleeping(andsex,ifyou’reanadult).Theymaybeforalittlelightreading,but
onlyonpaper(seethenextpoint).Thisisdifficultinaworldwheremanyofusliveinfairlysmall
homes,butbedroomsshouldnotbeforinternetsurfing,TVwatchingorevenstudying.
Keep the electronics out of the bedroom. Reading or movie-watching or social media chatting
will engage your conscious brain; it’ll be too interested and lively to fall asleep easily. Screens
also engage other, subconscious parts of the brain. They work by flashing lights at us, if
subliminally. Our brains are attracted to light and movement: the brainwave patterns set up
whenyou’rewatchingTVorreadingaphoneorcomputerscreenwillinterferewiththesleep
wavesyourtiredbrainwouldreallyliketofallinto.
Be kind to yourself. If your habit is to feel anxious about getting to sleep, try mindfulness
relaxationtechniqueswhenyou’relyingreadyforsleep.
Keep your wakefulness out of the bedroom. If you can’t get to sleep after a reasonable time,
eitherwhenyougofirsttobedorwhenyouwakeduringthenight,theadviceistogetup.Goto
anotherroom,anddon’tmakeyourselfcomfortable.Sitorstand.Nostimulatingfoodordrink.
No interesting books. No TV, phone or computer. Find something repetitive to do – ideal if
you’regoodatknittingorsewingorsortingsocks.Ifyoumustread,findsomethingshortand
easy.Orifyoureallycan’tgetawayfromyourtroublingthoughts,trywritingthemdownfora
limited time, say 15 minutes, then push the page away, or tear it up. When the wee small
sensiblevoiceinyourheadtellsyouit’sreadytosleepnow,gobacktobedandrelax.Andifyou
don’tgettosleepthistime?Sorry,butyouhavetodoitalloveragain…
Ifthisallsoundsdullanduncomfortable,possiblyit’smeanttobe–it’smeanttoteachthevery
literal,ancientbitofyourbrainthatneedssleepthatthenightismeantforlyinginbedasleep
andnothingelse.PeoplewhotrySleepHygieneanddoitproperlyusuallyreportthatitworks.
The important thing is to understand that our brains need routine, and they need the
opportunitytowinddownwithouthavingtorespondtoextrastimulationthewholetime.
Soifyou’rehavingtroublesleeping,trythisout.Itdoesn’tsoundmuchfun,Iknow.Itcouldtake
acoupleofweekstogetyoursleeppatternsbacktonormal,butmanyofmypastclientshave
foundithelpfulanditcouldbeworthitforyou.
Youcouldalsotrysomedeeprelaxationexercisesandsomemindfulnessvisualisationexercises
–Iwillpostabouttheseanothertime,butyoucanlookthemupnowifyou’rehavingproblems.
Remember, if the main thing keeping you awake is worrying and/or panicking at night, you
mightbegettingdepressedortooanxious.Talkingtoanobjectiveoutsiderisoftenthefirststep
thathelpsmanypeople.TherearemanycounsellorsinGibraltar.Ifyouwanttoseeme,contact
menow.
(PleaseNote:Francesisaqualifiedpsychotherapistandcounsellor;sheisnotamedicaldoctor.
Ifyouhaveconcernsaboutyourphysicalhealth,pleaseseeyourdoctor.)