Hi everyone,
Hope you are doing well!
As someone just coming out of exam season, it has dawned on me just how essential getting a good night's rest is. I am sure everyone knows how important sleep is but I have recently come across some interesting studies. They found that getting enough sleep actually helps clinical outcomes for people receiving therapy for a range of mood (e.g. depression) and anxiety disorders. In fact, some researchers suggest that we should treat insomnia/sleep disturbances before we treat issues such as depressive and anxiety symptoms - so, I guess you shouldn't sleep on sleep. Interestingly, they also found that people who monitor sleep quite intensely also had very similar issues falling/staying asleep to those who regarded sleep as "less important" and suggested we should just let ourselves rest and let the brain take care of the rest.
In light of this, I have set a new goal for myself - starting and sticking to a nighttime routine. To do this I am planning to start doing the following:
1) Don't sleep in - this can interrupt your body clock.
2) Stress less about sleep - practise mindfulness and relaxation
3) Drink less coffee
4) Turn off devices/limit exposure to artificial lights!
5) Stop tracking my sleep - this may actually induce more sleep-related anxiety!
6) Stick to a regular exercise routine!
That said, I am very aware that sometimes going to bed is just not realistic, so I am going to be kind to myself and take this step by step. I am also very eager to hear your responses on how you stick to a regular sleep schedule, your tips, or just your general experience with trying to get a good night's rest!
