Do you struggle to switch off when you get into bed? Do you find that your mind races with thoughts of things that have happened throughout the day or perhaps worry about things that shouldn't matter at 10pm?
If the answer is yes, you have likely come across a Sleep Mediation recording, Sleep Story or relaxing podcast that helps you to drift off.
This can be an excellent way to help you to detach from the happenings of the day. Your sleep drive is likely high at this time of the day, so after listening for 20 minutes, you have likely already achieved slumber.
This works very well if it is on occasion and not a nightly occurrence. If this is something that you need every single night, then you are becoming reliant on it and it may become a sleep association. This might mean that after you have fallen asleep, when you wake up in the night (very natural to have brief arousals between sleep cycles), you struggle to fall back to sleep again. You may even need to turn the meditation or the podcast back on. The problem now, is your sleep drive isn't as high as it was, so it will like take a lot longer to fall back to sleep.
If this sounds like a spiral you have found yourself in, I encourage you to analyse your evening activites and pre-bedtime routine. What are you doing to detach yourself from thoughts and stresses of the day? What time do you give yourself to sit quietly without using your phone, netflix or more work as a distraction.
A relaxing pre-bedtime routine is crucial. Particularly if you experience high stress throughout the day or work in a very fast paced environment. Take a walk after dinner. Do some yoga or stretching before bed whilst you defuse your favourite essential oil.
If you have experienced difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep for over 3 months, I encourage you to reach out for some support to break the habit cycle your body is in.
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