Changing The Way We Think About Sleep

Think Different!

Whether it’s a few hours’ fitful sleep or chronic insomnia, sleep deprivation can not only lead to less productivity at work, but also wreak havoc on your overall health. Instant treatment such as pills can be habit-forming and often create dependency. Luckily, there are natural remedies that can help cure your insomnia blues that won’t require pills or potions. In fact, one solution requires one simple thing: the power of our mind.

When we deal with sleep difficulties, it becomes important how we think about sleep. In Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), the idea is to reduce a person’s misconceptions about sleep and teach more positive sleep behaviors, including good sleep hygiene–yes, hygiene! (It’s more than just teeth-flossing and wearing deodorant, you know. Proper sleep hygiene can significantly contribute to a good night’s rest. Read more about sleep hygiene here: http://wp.me/p6IwZ8-3f1)

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One technique for examining your thinking is to consider alternative beliefs to those you have adopted in the past. For example: You feel that getting a good night’s sleep is extremely important and you know that if you don’t get that good night’s sleep–you won’t be able to concentrate on that big presentation at work tomorrow. Focusing on the idea that you won’t able to sleep will generate worry and anxiety, and contribute to a restless sleep.

The solution? Challenge this way of thinking! Instead of saying “I’ll never be able to sleep” or “I won’t be able to focus tomorrow,” think to yourself:

“I’ll be bit tired tomorrow but that won’t be anything I can’t handle.”

When you try to force yourself to sleep, you are putting pressure on yourself. This will just make your sleep worse. Be gentle on yourself (After all, don’t we have enough pressure in life?). Focusing on what you can control, such as your schedule and sleep hygiene, will reduce the all-encompassing importance of sleep, and therefore,  enable you to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Challenging old thoughts and replacing them with new is a simple solution that requires patience and practice, but in doing so, you will escape negative thoughts and change your patterns until they’re automatic.

And don’t we owe it to ourselves to get a great night’s sleep every night?

 

 

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