Struggling with sleep? 10 tips to beat insomnia

Do you sometimes find it hard to sleep at night?? Does it feel like there’s a confused mass of thoughts whirling about in your head? I’ve been there. Before I went through the menopause I used to sleep like a log. I had no trouble getting to sleep or getting back to sleep if I woke.

A few years back that changed. It wasn’t just the menopause. I also had some health problems and went through changes at work which left me very unsettled and deeply unhappy.

I slowly worked out ways of managing my insomnia. These methods don’t always work but much of the time they do. Read on to find my personal top tips and find out the one that I think is the most important.

Insomnia is one of several impacts that come with stress. I help my clients deal with these by collaborating on finding clarity on the tangled knots in their head and then unpicking one knot at a time together.

Common impacts of lack of sleep

A survey of over 7,000 people found that lack of sleep had big impacts.

• 57% experienced regular brain fog
• 48% reported memory reduction
• 55% had diminished cognitive function
• 59% experienced a loss of motivation for everyday life
• 37% reported a decrease in libido

If you suffer from insomnia and recognise any of these symptoms, you are not alone.

My 10 top tips to deal with insomnia??

1. Daylight is key to regulating sleep patterns. Research shows that exposure to daylight early in the day is important in helping you get a good night’s sleep. So try and get out not long after you wake. Even sipping your tea outside for 5 minutes can help.
2. Optimise your sleep environment. Make sure you darken the room adequately, that your bed is comfortable and that the temperature is on the cool side. Having a window open helps with air circulation.
3. Follow a bedtime routine that helps you unwind and sends the right signals to your brain. It doesn’t have to be complicated. I read a novel for 10-20 minutes every night before turning out the light.
4. Don’t nap in the daytime. If you really do need a few zzzs don’t do it after 3pm.
5. Do try and get some exercise every day. Even a 10 minute walk outside is a good way of relieving mental tension – especially if you sit at a screen a lot.
6. ?Try some breathing techniques when struggling to get off to sleep. Find one that suits you best. My favourite is the 7-11 one. I have a free video guide on this which you get if you subscribe to my newsletter
7. Practice a progressive relaxation exercise.? This is where you tense and relax each part of your body, slowly and methodically.
8. Write down your floating or bothersome thoughts?before your head hits the pillow. Know that you can deal with them another time.
9. If you wake in the night, don’t worry about being awake. Get up if you’ve tried to go back to sleep for 20-30 minutes unsuccessfully. Do something relaxing (not using a screen!).
10. Acceptance is a great practice I have found. There isn’t any point in worrying about why sleep won’t come so change your mindset to one of acknowledgement it is happening and kindness to yourself about the situation. I found it helpful when I read that lying quietly at rest can be nearly as good as full sleep. This lessens the anxiety about being wakeful, helping you relax, whether sleep comes or not.

I’ve trialled all of these but the one that I think is the most important is the acceptance of “what is”. I get up if I’ve tried a few tools and still can’t sleep – without judging myself. I make a chamomile tea and read a book, replicating my bedtime routine.? When I’m ready I go back to bed and often put on some quiet gentle music to help me drift off.

I hardly suffer from insomnia now that I’ve dealt with the root causes of my stress, alongside dealing with my hormone deficiency. Have you tried something different that works? If you try any of these I’ve love to hear how you got on.

If you are lying awake at night with problems that you are struggling with why not message me for a chat? I’d love to help you solve them and get a good night’s sleep. Tackling the underlying causes of your worries is the best way to get your sleep back on track. Coaching provides a brilliant space to do that.

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