By Anne Davis

Did you know that it is perfectly normal to wake briefly during the night? Most people won’t even remember that they woke up. If, however, you are waking up and finding it difficult to fall back asleep, these tips might help:

Stay in bed – Try not to worry about what time it is! The anxiety of thinking about what time it is and what time you have to get up at and how tired you’ll be if you can’t sleep – STOP IT!  This kind of thinking is stressing you out and waking you up more. Try to focus on fully relaxing your body instead.

Focus on breathing deeply – Take a deep breath in (count three beats) and let your breath out (count five beats). This unusual pattern of breathing will put your focus squarely on breathing and take it away from any other thoughts you might have floating around in your head.

Write it down – If you are awake and thinking about something you don’t want to forget, write down whatever it is and release yourself from thinking about it. Keep a notepad and pen by the bed for this purpose.

Read a book or get a snack/drink – If you find yourself still unable to fall back asleep and you’ve been lying awake for half an hour, try to do something quiet and low-key. The last thing you want to do is watch TV, work on the computer or play with your iPad as the light emitted from these devices is stimulating. Keep the lights dim, have a cup of herbal tea or a light snack and head back to bed.

Keep your bedroom cool and dark – Light and heat can wreak havoc on your ability to sleep.  Open a window or use a fan to cool the space and use blackout curtains to shut out the light.

Keep the same bedtime – Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day (even weekends!) to help your body find a regular sleep pattern. This will help you to fall asleep more easily and stay asleep.

Avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine – This is particularly important when you are experiencing insomnia on a regular basis. Don’t drink anything caffeinated within eight hours of your bedtime.  Avoid drinking alcohol in the evening – it may make you feel sleepy but it prevents you from sleeping soundly. Same goes for nicotine which is a stimulant and will keep you from a good quality sleep.

Difficult though it may be for some, changing your habits will help you sleep better which, in turn, will give you more energy, patience and a greater sense of well-being. Sweet dreams everyone!

Anne Davis is a writer, blogger, artist and photography buff.  Born in Quebec, she now lives in Kimberley, BC where she is editor of and contributor to the City of Kimberley’s Active Community Guide and webmaster for the City’s websites.

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