To Sleep Better at Night, Try These Two Things
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I was a chronic insomniac until I discovered this remedy.
I was a chronic insomniac
At first, I tried melatonin, a natural remedy that almost everyone with sleeping problems has tried. It was ineffective. I went to see a psychologist to discuss the stresses that were causing my insomnia, and my psychologist suggested these two things, but I didn’t know any better at the time.
I failed once more because I decided that what my psychologist had said was easier said than done. I gave up before even trying.
Even sleeping medication from psychiatrist cannot help me
As a last resort, despite my aversion to sleeping pills (I know how harmful they can be because I took one years ago), I went to a psychiatrist, who prescribed me zolpidem. I was given 14 pills and instructed to take them only if I was having severe difficulty sleeping. It was taken seven days in a row. I was drowsy, and my eyes were heavy, but my mind refused to cooperate. I stopped asking for more prescriptions because I was concerned about the long-term effects of taking zolpidem on a regular basis..
Finally, I slowly learn the two things advised by my psychologist
I was struggling. After all, I have a generalized anxiety disorder on top of a massive workload and the constant risk of vicarious trauma or secondary traumatic stress from my job. My psychologist, on the other hand, advised me to start small: five minutes per day. Each activity should take no more than five minutes per day.
Meditating and exercising become the cure of my chronic insomnia
I used to go to bed around 2 or 3 a.m. every night and wake up at 10 or 11 a.m. feeling sluggish, irritated, and fatigued. It was too late for work, and when I awoke, I was exhausted and unmotivated to do anything. It was seriously affecting my work performance. But, while I still don’t sleep from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., I am now able to sleep for at least 7 hours every day, from 11 p.m. or 12 a.m. to 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. My mood improves significantly, and my work performance no longer suffers significantly. I benefited from getting up earlier than usual and feeling rested and ready to face the day.
I now meditate in the morning and evening. I would begin and end my workday with meditation. At first, I spent at least five minutes on each session, but I’ve gradually reduced the guided meditation and am more comfortable with following and focusing on my breath. Exercising is still one of the things I find difficult to do. But I forced myself to join a gym that was only a five-minute walk from my house, and I discovered enjoyment in the one exercise I had always avoided: yoga. If I was going to do other exercises in the morning, I would do a quick morning yoga flow to get my blood flowing and my body warmed up. In the evening, I found solace in this gentle wind-down routine by Adrienne, a well-known YouTube creator and yogi.
The body is frequently tired, but the mind is constantly restless.
Combining meditation with a short and gentle exercise will tire the body out while also soothing the mind’s chatter. Often, the body is tired, but the mind refuses to begin its chatter, making it difficult to sleep. The disconnect between the body and mind frustrates us, and with these two things, we can gradually mend the connection between the body and mind and find our way to restful sleep.
