SLEEP
First, a side discussion
Is napping making it worse?
Ask yourself - “is napping making my depression worse ?” If yes, try everything in your power to reduce and ultimately stop napping. I still can’t nap to this day, it triggers something in me that feels all too close to depression and anxiety.
Are you staying in bed too much?
If you’re in the midst of really bad depression and/or anxiety, you might be staying in bed a lot. You’re physically exhausted and likely experiencing mental anguish, and perhaps general hopelessness - so why get out of bed, right? But getting out of bed will help alleviate your symptoms. So, the trick is to start small. As small as necessary. There was a point where I literally would just get out of bed to make coffee, get ready even though I wasn’t going anywhere- and then I’d go back to bed for the rest of the day and night. This was actually an achievement. Wherever you’re at, start there. Maybe a goal of 30 minutes out of bed once a day. Then an hour. Then two hours. So on and so forth. Still to this day when my symptoms of depression pop-up, my go-to is to stay in bed. I generally do okay with one day. But if it creeps into two, I know I need to fight. I’ll use the mantra “I have depression but I also have treatments, and today I choose my treatments.” Anyway, that’s my spiel about bed.
Now let’s get to sleep
Honestly, sleep might be one of the last things to improve. Which is quite unfortunate as it’s such a critical part of our functioning as human beings. The following are some ideas for improving sleep. However, please note that insomnia is a diagnosable illness and you should seek consultation with your physician if necessary. Also, pre-menopause or menopause reduces estrogen which is a critical hormone for restful sleep- again consult your doctor.
Approaches to Improving Sleep
There’s a lot of help out there for improving your sleep. and try them for at least two weeks. And remember, just because something doesn’t work 100% of the time doesn’t mean it isn’t working. Let’s say your sleep today is 0/7 good nights of sleep. If you can get that to even just 2, that’s a success. Seriously. And it’s okay if you don’t do these every single night. If some nights you do your old less-than-ideal routine, totally okay. It’s about balance not perfection! Cool?
Alright, here are some ideas:
Your Mind
Something about nighttime/bedtime can amplify negative thought patterns and worries about the past, present and future. Yikes.
There are podcasts/apps literally made to induce sleep by focusing your mind away from worries: Bedtime Stories app (my favorite), Calm app, and here’s a long list created by a mattress company weirdly enough. These can also work if you wake-up in the middle of the night and have trouble getting back to sleep.
Listen to a music playlist (auto-whateverturned off so it stops & make sure the music is non-stimulating!), or
Try watching the same movie every night. I am able to turn my movie on and close my phone so I only hear the audio (no bright screen). It works brilliantly, I’m basically asleep within the first four minutes
Create a bedtime ritual. This is really up to you but it could include incense or a candle, a red light, some stretching. Basically any small routine that signals it’s slow down time, the mood is changing. Engage your senses in this- sight, sound, scent, etc
Do you feel safe physically? If not, add security measures (enlist help cause there’s a lot out there) and possibly a peace of mind routine (this is just a simple routine you do every night before bed- check this lock, then that lock, then this window, etc. Same order, same steps every night. A cool psychological method)
Reduce stressful thinking habits by doing the Noom Mood program
Try a mantra. I’ve used “nighttime is not the right time for thinking”
Your Body
Specific body relaxation methods: stretching (seriously), progressive muscle relaxation (one article, but google search will give you lots of good info), breathing exercises.
Tinctures: sleep gummies, chamomile tea, sleepy time tea, warm milk
People say not to drink liquids a certain time before sleep but also note that anxiety can make you feel like you have to go to the bathroom- so you gotta treat your anxiety.
Avoid/reduce stimulants close to bedtime- caffeine, alcohol, food 😅
Body conditioning: go to bed at the same time every night, no napping, etc
Exercise and sunshine will help you sleep better. Some say not to exercise too close to bedtime. In any case, both of these can improve your sleep.
The Environment
Do you feel safe physically? If not, add security measures (enlist help cause there’s a lot out there) and possibly a peace of mind routine (this is just a simple routine you do every night before bed- check this lock, then that lock, then this window, etc. Same order, same steps every night. A cool psychological method)
Darken your room
This one is actually hard because it might require money and tools. Ugh.
Light blocking curtains for windows- finding, buying, and hanging curtains is a damn nightmare. Enlist help!
Black tape or stickers over tiny lights on various electronics
Unplug the hallway or bathroom nightlight if you can see the light from in your room
Quiet your phone:
Switch to dark screen mode so when you check the time in the middle of the night your eyes aren’t blinded with a bright screen
Put your phone on airplane mode, or
Turn off notifications for all or some apps, or
Customize a Do Not Disturb setting so that only calls, messages, and notifications from people and apps you identify will come through during a specific range of hours
Try a cooler room temperature. People say this helps.
Make your bedroom, a bedroom. Some people say it helps to get rid of distracting things or things unrelated to sleep. Also, some encourage decorating your bedroom so it feels good.
So did you get overwhelmed and give up? Don’t. Remember- just try one or two things and see what happens. If you put too much pressure on yourself, ummm, ya- it’ll be harder to sleep 🤯