Stress to insomnia – where to draw the line? Part-II
9 ways to shoo stress out of your life!
Skillful stress management is crucial when it comes to slipping the draining claws of insomnia; we may not be born with those set of skills but, we can definitely learn where to draw the line, here is the how:
- Attention! If you have been feeling overwhelmed and self-medicating, using alcohol or other addictions to cope, having thoughts of self-harm, consult a doctor or simply, download our app:: https://eldahealth.page.link/EHapp our Elda Health Care Managers will do that for you.
- To manage stress, remember the thumb rule, don’t engage! I know, it is easier said than done but self assertion along with medical guidance can make all the difference to the quality of life.
- Identify triggers and work on avoiding or eliminating them, a stress journal can help you in the process.
- Build a circle of trustworthy companions, talk about your problems. Talking can take the pressure off your mind and you may find someone who may be facing a similar situation affirming that you are not alone or that the world is out to get you.
- Attending life coaching workshops, Elda Health organizes a few periodically.
- Slow down to destress, give yourself a break or change of scenery from time to time in order to reduce stress.
- Do take up a hobby to destress, think what disengages you most effectively.
- Take up exercising, especially try routines that involve deep breathing and cardio to step back from a stressful day.
- Stop skipping meals, if need be consult a dietician. Include food items like green leafy vegetables, whole grains, fruits, proteins to keep your energy levels without adding the kilos to your body.
Maya Angelou once said, “do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better” now you know, and you can do better, so do better for your health. Let’s bring our attention to insomnia now.
11 ways to cheat insomnia like a champion!!
Good news first, insomnia is curable, it needs dedication and patience, but a bit of sweat before sleep only makes sleep sweeter! Guidance from your psychologist/psychiatrist, along with healthy changes to your lifestyle, can make all the difference to your sleep life.
- Bring activity to your life; exercising can help you sleep better.
- Try yoga; breathing exercises like pranayama can improve breathing patterns and calm the mind for sound sleep.
- Cultivate good sleeping habits, avoid napping during the day.
- Review your medication just in case it’s keeping you up at night.
- Avoid having heavy meals before bed. For good sleep, eat light, go for a leisure walk after some time and then hit the bed.
- Steer clear of working from bed, watching television or making phone calls while waiting to fall asleep, activities induce alertness, and that’s the last thing you want.
- Work with your doctor to reduce your stress levels. If you are someone who likes reviewing the day’s activities before sleep, allot a separate time to the affair to keep anxiety away.
- Toss alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine out; these may cause unrestful sleep or frequent awakenings.
- Make your bedroom comfortable and sleep conducive, using it only for sleep or sex.
- Try meditation; it relaxes your body and mind, reduces cortisol and increases melatonin for peaceful sleep.
- Try sleeping and waking up at the same time every day. It trains your mind to get habituated to a system.
These may seem a lot to do, but trust me, even all these put together are easier than coping with insomnia once it hits your system so, baby steps!
Life is complicated, but it is beautiful too. All we need to do is develop a healthy perspective and some compassion for ourselves. Each one of us is worth all the patience and care, and we better be the first ones to give it to ourselves.
