Tips for Improving Your Sleep

Sleep Tip #1

Have you ever had any difficulty falling asleep? Do you ever awaken in the middle of the night, only to have difficulty returning to sleep? Have you ever awoken from a 6-8 hour sleep and yet do not feel rested? These can be signs of stress related insomnia. Stress, especially due to muscle tension, can be the main source of poor sleep. Tense muscles can also create the distraction that keeps you from falling into a restful state of sleep or can awaken you in the middle of the night when you have drifted into a lighter stage of the sleep cycle.

There are many things that you can do to break out of a bad pattern of poor sleep. This tip focuses on the most useful technique to minimize and, hopefully, prevent insomnia (or poor sleep.) It may take some regular practice to become a master of the relaxation prior to sleep, but it is worth the effort. Practice of deep relaxations focused on muscular relaxation has been the most effective tool for controlling stress related insomnia. This requires you to learn to become aware of where you “hold” your muscle tension and then how to “let go” of this tension. Easier said than done.

Start by checking for muscle tension in your jaw, forehead, neck, shoulders, and back. Even your legs may be holding the tension that keeps you from sleeping well, though most people find this residual tension in their jaw or neck/shoulders. These are not the easiest parts of your body to relax so allow some time. I usually recommend that you practice with your deep relaxation techniques for 4-6 weeks to begin to see the positive change and I know that the maximum benefits may take 8-12 weeks of regular practice.

Listening to the guided relaxation before bedtime is a good way to do this. Of the guided relaxations that I recommend, several really standout. Stress Management for Sleep has 2 different guided exercises to choose from. One is based on Basic Progressive Relaxation which is a gentle passive relaxation which focuses on breath and progresses through the muscle groups of the body starting with the feet and toes and then slowly works up the body to the more difficult muscle groups. 10 to 1 Countdown is also a favorite recommendation for relaxing before sleep.

Whatever you select, remember to give a fair chance to teach you how to relax and then enjoy drifting off into a deep and restful state of sleep.

L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the author of the best selling "Guide to Stress Reduction." Since 1977, he has offered Executive Coaching and Training.

Please visit the Stress Education Center's website at http://www.dstress.com for stress management CD's, articles, free ezine signup, and learn about the new telecourses that are available. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training or coaching, please contact us at (707) 795-2228.

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