Common Sleeping Disorders

If you’re suffering from a sleep disorder, such as insomnia, and would like to treat the problem yourself, a simple solution to help you fall asleep fast is to follow a bedtime routine to train your body to recognize when it’s time to sleep.

For certain sleep disorders, such as Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) or Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome (ASPS), relaxation might not be the answer – but for some disorders, de-stressing routine at bedtime could prove to be just the remedy to sleep better.

Think about what relaxes you. Is it a warm bath? Reading in a chair? A cup of steaming hot herbal tea? There are a number of self-help stress techniques to consider and finding the right one may take some time through trial and error.

The time invested will be well worth it, because it may mean better sleep that will lessen or do away with your fatigue, drowsiness, and other symptoms resulting from sleep deprivation. Once you find the technique that works for you, integrate it into your daily bedtime routine.

If you want to try a cup of herbal tea, try to drink it about 30 minutes before you’re ready for bed. The tea should not only relax you due to its herbal properties, but also because it’s now part of a diary bedtime routine.

Try going to bed at a regular time everyday. Overtime, your body will adjust to the schedule and when you take your nightly cup of tea, your body’s internal clock will know that it’s just about time to power down for the day.

Other de-stressing techniques that your may want to try to help you sleep is taking a warm bath, reading a favorite book for a short amount of time or meditating. Meditation can help relax you, as well as provide you with focus for your sleep.

Meditation techniques come in various forms, but the underlining principal of all meditation methods is that it helps you channel your thoughts. Through meditation, you get an uninterrupted line of concentration that shuts out distractions that could be keeping you from sleep.

Related to meditation is self-hypnosis, which can take the form of repeating words or suggestions in your mind, over and again. This repetition may help relax you mind and lull you into slumber. Visualization, which is engaging in another type of mental journey without outside distraction, is another way to try to relax yourself prior to sleep.

These de-stressing techniques can help you slow the body’s processes down, helping to create a bridge between your waking and sleeping moments. Using de-stressing techniques to ease you into sleep can only work if it is used consistently. Keeping a sleep diary can help you stay on track.

When you begin your journey to finding a solution to your sleep disorder, just remember that you may be on a long journey and shouldn’t expect to fall asleep right away. Knowing ahead of time that it will take perseverance to find the right solution will lessen the frustration you feel in your quest for sleep and are a good first step toward treating your sleep disorder.

Tags: Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome, ASPS, bedtime routine, de-stressing, fall asleep, fall asleep faster, Insomnia, Restless Leg Syndrome, RLS, sleep, sleep better, sleep disorder, sleeping