sleep anxiety...

[Alabama]

For the past semester, I have had the worst sleeping habits I've had yet. I will sometimes stay up until 5 am in the morning, worrying about the next day, my future, or some other hypothetical thing. I want to sleep better this semester, but are their any techniques that could help me sleep better and not worry so much?

[honeyspur]

Here's one.

 

Think of a movie you know backwards and forwards. A movie you could dictate to someone else, that's how well you know it.

 

Close your eyes and start at the beginning of the film in your mind.

Your mind will want to jump ahead - don't let it - rewind back and start at the credits. Think of the movie as if you were watching it in real time. Go scene by scene. I guarantee you will fall asleep.

 

What this is doing is forcing your mind to slow down. Your thoughts race, thats why you can't sleep. You must focus down on something unimportant - you can worry about real life in the morning.

 

If you are plagued with stress and worry, you need to consider some brief counceling. Sleep deprivation messes with your mind to the point where you may be creating new worries that are not real. It can make you want to isolate yourself and of course can make you fall asleep during the day at the worst times.

 

Good luck and give the movie trick a try. It's always worked for me - I never even make it through the credits.

[WrongTurn435]

Make sure to eat properly and drink enough liquids during the day. Also, since you're a student, be sure to have made a solid contribution towards your studies in the day so that you're not kicking yourself at night when you should be resting. That way, you're going to bed feeling good about yourself as opposed to thinking.

 

That's what usually works for me anyway when my sleep goes out of whack. Hope it helps.