Beating a Common Anxiety Side Effect – Insomnia
Deciding when and where to find counselling in Canterbury when dealing with anxiety is important. While stress and anxiety constitute a natural and normal part of life, they have the potential to be debilitating for many people. Anxiety and stress usually bring in-tow an extensive variety of mental and physical symptoms, which can have a highly negative impact on the human life.
A very common symptom often associated with stress and anxiety is insomnia. It is usually a situation where the people affected find themselves in a vicious cycle that is near impossible to break. The simple fact that they’re suffering elevated stress levels makes it very difficult for them to sleep – the fact that they’re getting not enough sleep increases their anxiety further and so on. Put simply, it could be an incredibly problematic cycle to break, though has the potential to get worse if not addressed.
This is the reason why it’s important to be proactive when it comes to such issues, rather than just accepting them for what they are and not really doing anything about them. As far as the professionals are concerned, there are many ways and means to address insomnia as a side effect of stress and anxiety – often with no need for professional intervention or medication.
So with this in mind, here is a short overview of the 10 most important tips regarding improving your sleep habits and quality of life:
- First of all, it’s crucial to get into a regular habit regarding the time you go to sleep every night and the time you get up in the morning. Eventually, your mind and body will become trained to sleep better and easier if you have a set routine, rather than going to bed and getting up randomly.
- Don’t overlook the importance of creating a suitable environment in which to sleep every night, when it comes to the amount and quality of sleep you could expect. Your bedroom needs to be relatively cool, dark, and with no distractions that may disturb your sleep.
- The same should be also considered regarding your bedding – its quality will make a huge difference to your overall sleep quality. While it is safe to say that premium bedroom supplies and bedding can be costly, they can also contribute significantly to a good night’s sleep.
- One of the easiest ways of shaking off a great deal of anxiety and stress and of promoting good sleep is to exercise. Doing so regularly is fantastic for the mind and body alike, just as long as you don’t exercise too close to bedtime as this could actually make it more difficult to fall asleep.
- Its’ generally not advisable for people struggling with their sleep habits to use any stimulants like caffeine. Contrary to what many people believe, the effects of caffeine could continue for as long as 24 hours and they don’t just wear off as soon as that “buzz” goes away. Therefore, it’s advisable to cut caffeine out of your regime entirely.
- Going to bed hungry could make it extremely difficult to fall asleep, but on the other hand overindulging can have the same effect. The harder the body needs to work to process the good, the more likely it will be that you will have problems having a good night’s sleep.
- It’s a good idea to get into some kind of bedtime routine, in order to prep yourself for a good night’s sleep. It could be by reading a book, taking a bath, drinking a warm milky drink or really anything else that is good for relaxation.
- Unless you are specifically advised so by an expert, it could be in your best interest to keep away from supplements and medication. Even when talking about completely safe and natural medication, you could get into a situation where you can only sleep well if you have a readily available pill on hand.
- If you often find yourself in bed for hours on end without being able to fall asleep, it’s far more beneficial and productive to get out of bed and do something to distract yourself. The more time you stay in bed worrying that you can’t sleep, the less likely it will be that you actually get any sleep at all.
- Last but not least, it’s worth remembering at all times that there are so many professional therapists and counsellors always standing by to offer their help and advice when it comes to insomnia and anxiety.