Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #36020
2777 Jefferson, #201, Carlsbad, CA 92008
tel. 760.522.5659
Chronic insomnia affects 10 to 15 percent of adult Americans. The impact of poor sleep may result in cognitive deficiencies and less work productivity.
People that are overweight or those who snore heavily also report less sleep satisfaction and greater impact of consistent sleep loss. Daily medications can impair solid sleep as well as late-night computer use or excessive caffeine in the later afternoons.
Avoid "Hot Topics" 2 Hours Before Bed
Avoid discussing provocative issues with your partner two hours before bedtime, such as finances, complex travel plans, parenting conflicts, or family problems. Stay away from exciting, irritating, or disturbing television. Instead, take a bath, read a magazine, play solitaire, meditate to music (many to choose from on itunes), play music, draw, bake, or clean out a cabinet.
Loss of sleep is not just an inconvenience but actually leads to tissue destruction and premature aging. Over the counter sleep aids are temporary solutions - a thorough treatment plan created in collaboration with a therapist can often bring immediate results as well as developing healthy long-term sleep solutions.
Psychotherapy can be an essential tool in getting your sleep patterns on a healthy path. Here are just a few of the tips that work with many of our clients. 1) Follow a regular sleep schedule 2) Try to sleep for at least 8 hours a night, with a consistent bedtime 3) Exercise 4) Reduce caffeine, food, and computer time two hours before bedtime 4) Avoid napping 5) If laying awake in bed, remove yourself until you become tired again and 5) Use meditation tapes, and soothing music, both at midday, then again before bedtime. Listening to calming voices (guided meditations) or sounds is an effective, affordable and easy way to calm the mind, using relaxing breathing techniques.
Exhaustion, degraded job performance and deprivation are serious side effects of sleep loss. Insomnia is a serious sleep disturbance that affects many people. Some contributing factors to sleep disturbance include undiagnosed depression, irregular sleep habits, weight gain, and anxiety.
Copyright of Christina Neumeyer, 2021