Therapist Approved Tips To Help Improve Your Sleep
Insomnia Therapy Durango Colorado | Telehealth Insomnia Therapy Colorado
I've struggled with insomnia on and off most of my life. I understand how exhausting life can be when you aren't getting enough sleep. I learned these strategies from my own therapy journey, and they have improved my sleep tremendously. If you struggle with insomnia, especially if it's related to anxiety, therapy can help you improve your sleep.
Here are some helpful tips that have helped me improve my sleep.
1) Butterflying tapping- uses bilateral stimulation (similar to REM cycle when you sleep) to help slow down your thoughts and activates your parasympathetic nervous system. Cross your arms against your chest and slowly taps your collar bone. Check out a video here.
2) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Insomnia- a very structured protocol to help change your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that are preventing you from getting a good night’s rest. Thoughts such as “If I don’t sleep well tonight, my whole day will be ruined” often make it more difficult for us to fall asleep and creates more anxiety surrounding falling asleep.
3) Legs up the wall pose- put your lets against the wall for 5-20 minute. This is a restorative yoga pose that helps your body get out of fight or flight mode and into rest and digest mode.
4) Magnesium Supplements- helps the body relax, regulate sleep hormones (melatonin), and can slow down racing thoughts. This can especially be helpful for people with restless legs while trying to fall asleep. As always, check with your doctor before trying anything new.
Want to learn more skills that can help your insomnia? You don’t have to handle this alone. Help is available.
If the weight of your sleep troubles are pulling you down and you are curious about how therapy can help, check out the link below to learn to get started. Let's chat!