Dr. Amy Serin, neuropsychologist and co-founder of The TouchPoint Solution, suggests to start looking at your sleep environment and pre-bed habits to help shift your body into sleep mode.
Technology is Adding to The Problem
Checking that last Facebook or Snapchat post before you go to bed or watching a certain type of TV show you hit the hay could be adding to your sleepless night. Serin suggests setting bedtime boundaries and turning off your smartphone well before bed to allow your brain to switch to sleep mode.
To Nap or Not to Nap
Grabbing a cat nap during the day after a restless night might be ok now and again, but creating a pattern of sleepless nights, and gulping caffeine at the office followed by an afternoon nap isn’t ideal. Serin suggests getting back to your regular sleep schedule as soon as possible.
Use a Sleep Hack, not a Sleeping Pill
If you have too many thoughts racing through your head, some may try to use a sleep aid to counter their busy mind and fall asleep. Serin cautions the use of this method as you may not reach the deep stages of sleep that are required to feel rested the next day. Instead she suggests these sleep hacks before you go to bed:
Maintain a Consistent Sleep Schedule
While eight hours of sleep is recommended, the reality is that we aren’t prioritizing our sleep schedule. Serin suggestions to first try to develop a set time to get to bed and make it a goal for 7 to 9 hours of shut eye versus making it up on the weekend.
If All Else Fails, Try to Do Something Positive
If you tried to relieve some stress during the day and still had a tough night, Serin said to expect that you might have some change in mood during the day and to try and engage in positive activities. Read more about avoiding sleepless nights here at Tech.Co. “Try to plan for a slightly earlier bedtime the next day and limit unnecessary events from your schedule. Practice healthier habits that day and try to exercise if possible. When you hop into bed at night, don’t worry about not sleeping well the night before. Remember, sleep is a natural state that your body wants you to go into, so calming down and surrendering to it is the best policy.”
