Sleep Depression: How To Improve Without
Medication
The
agony of insomnia affects about 10 to 35% of us. Once sleep loss starts, it
becomes a psychological and physical battle.
It
can feel like the myth of Sisyphus, who night after night pushed a large
weighted stone up a hill only to see it roll down again. But there are ways to
reduce the weight and size of this stone.
Research
and clinical experience show that insomnia is associated with the reduced
quality of life as well as depression. In turn, depression can lead to sleep
problems. Insomnia can also lead to feelings of anxiety, frustration,
hopelessness, exhaustion and an inability to concentrate.
Calm Your Mind
You
can take actions to improve the quality of your nighttime rest. In the moments
of your sleeplessness and distress, you can work to calm your mind and body
through the use of conscious relaxation, cognitive therapy, and dialectical behavior
therapy techniques. I recommend that you first consult your therapist,
psychiatrist, or doctor to ensure that you have no psychological issues,
medical complications or medication interactions that could be causing your
difficulties with sleep.
Focus on the Body
If
you have consistent trouble calming your mind, it can be more effective to
focus on the body first. You can use relaxation, breathing exercises and
somatic theraphy techniques. One example of these techniques is to focus on
your breath and body rather than on negative thought patterns and frustration.
To do so, you breathe slowly in through your nose and out through your mouth.
This simple exercise will automatically slow down your breathing and help your
body relax. Then after a few breaths, breathe through your nose for both the
inhalation and exhalation, and begin to follow your abdomen’s rise and fall.
This is called “riding the wave” of your breathing. Even if you do not fall
asleep, your body is at rest.
References:
Comments
Post a Comment