Congratulations for starting Day 1 of my chronic insomnia relief program. This day gives you some introductory behavioral techniques to kick off the tutorial.
Step One: Take the pressure off.
A frustrating effect of insomnia is to feel that you "must" sleep -- but that is a self-defeating attitude, as I've pointed out so many times.
So first, forget about "trying" to go to sleep for the next week. This is exploration time, and you need to take the pressure off! Chronic insomnia relief isn't a magic pill that works overnight. But you can definitely see significant improvement quickly if you follow all the steps.
Step Two: Start your sleep diary.
Next, start your sleep diary. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Just a spiral bound notebook will do fine.
NOTE: If you have initial insomnia (can't fall asleep after going to bed), do both sections of the sleep diary. If you have mostly middle insomnia or terminal insomnia (you fall asleep quickly but wake up and stay awake for a while or until you have to get up), you can skip the first section.
ALL insomniacs need to complete the second section of the sleep diary.
When you get into bed and can't fall sleep within an hour, get up and write down
- What time you went to bed
- How tired you felt tired before you went to bed
- What were you thinking as you got into bed
- How you felt (level of sleepiness or wakefulness) after lying in bed for a while
- Whether you felt yourself start to drift off and then got wide awake again
- What you were thinking about while lying in bed.
- Whether you felt more wide awake as time went on.
That's all you need to jot down at this time. Mainly, you just want to record what happens in the first hour after you go to bed because you are likely to forget this by morning.
NOTE: all insomniacs do the following:
Take these notes about how your night went right after you get up in the morning. Just quickly write down:
- How many times you woke up during the night and what you did each time
- How much sleep you got in total
- The approximate time you fell asleep.
- The time you woke up in the morning to start your day
- Any other notes on how you felt and what you were thinking throughout the night (or day if you are a day sleeper)
Your sleep diary will give you a lot of information that will be used to work out your own program for chronic insomnia relief.
Keep writing in this diary for at least the next two weeks or until you can see a definite pattern in your insomnia...
OR if you can't see a pattern and everything changes from night to night, that, too is very valuable information. So no matter what, keep the diary! It is not always a pleasant task, I know, but the insights you get from it are essential for long-term chronic insomnia relief.
Step Three: Get some small, dull tasks to do when you can't sleep.
Next, put aside some boring menial tasks to do at night. If you are in the habit of getting up to watch TV or use the Internet or computer, replace this activity with the mundane little chores. Use a low level of light and only work on these things for 15 to 20 minutes at a time before you go back to bed.
Step Four: The sleep schedule.
Next, set up your sleep schedule. (You can read more about the sleep schedule in this article.) Choose the bedtimes and wake up times that make the most sense for your schedule.
Remember to limit your time in bed to no more than 6-7 hours.
The sleep schedule is probably the number-one recommendation for chronic insomnia relief.
Step Five: Establish your pre-sleep routine.
Make sure you write down your chosen routine so you can remember it. (Read more about the pre-sleep routine here.)
Choose several activities that are relaxing to you, whether deep breathing techniques, visualization, reading light fiction, using aromatherapy, listening to relaxing music, getting/giving a massage.
Step Six: Start your worry journal and appointment book.
Find or buy another spiral bound notebook to use as your "worry book." This is where you will record your thoughts that are keeping you awake. It is also where you can "freewrite" in order to release some of the pent-up feelings about any thoughts you come up with.
Next, you should have a way to record appointments. You can use whatever electronic method you're already using now, or use your day planner/ appointment book OR if you aren't in the habit of keeping appointments anywhere except in your own head, get a small cheap calendar from the office supply store and start now!
You will use your appointment keeping method and your "worry book" to begin shifting your night-time mental activity to the daytime. Whatever you need should be kept handy by your bedside. I know this sounds a little silly, but it really does work! You have nothing to lose by trying.
Learn more about starting your worry journal here.
Learn more about setting appointments to worry in this article.
OK, that's enough for Day 1 of this Self-Help Tutorial for chronic insomnia relief!
Click here when you're ready to go to Day 2 of the self help tutorial for chronic insomnia relief.