Oh, wow, what a question. As a lifelong insomniac, I have always struggled to sleep. I have done all the things and honestly, they do not really work. I especially hate sleep aides. They shut me down, they do not make me feel rested at all.
For me, a lot of it is trying to set my day to my natural rhythm. Not the one everyone tells you that you should have. I become naturally tired some time after 2 am. Trying to go to bed before that is a nightmare. During my life, when I could I would find jobs that I either worked the night shift or as close to it as I could. Night shifts were easy for me and I would be ready to go to bed after work.
I have read a lot about that being an evolutionary need. That in order for our species to survive over the ages, we would need people to stay up all night and keep a look out. It makes sense that some of us would be hardwired this way. For me it makes sense. No sleep hygiene thing has ever worked for me and no sleep disorder treatment has been successful. I learned to work around it instead of fighting it.
Sometimes even when I am utterly exhausted, I cannot sleep because of anxiety or negative thoughts. Typically during the day, I try and get everything that has to be done for the next day accomplished. Or at least set up to easily complete in the morning. Need to make a lunch for work tomorrow? Pack as much as possible to grab and go in the morning.
Something bothering me that I cannot do anything about, write it out! Putting it out on paper is the best thing you can do. It gets it out of your head so that you can deal with it later. Those negative thoughts plague me sometimes and I have to quit trying to sleep and get it out. Once it is all out on paper and you have nothing else to say about it. Your brain typically agrees and lets it go for now. You exhaust that thought process to its fullest potential instead of letting it replay over and over.
If I am feeling anxious about a project or maybe an upcoming trip? I like to make a list and then check things off as I complete them. That way my mind knows I am aware of all the things I need to do and I am working on it. Sometimes I will wake up because I will have remembered something else. I write it down and my brain can relax now that it has been recorded. Telling yourself that you will remember and write it down later usually creates anxiety later when you know you woke up and remembered something, but cannot remember it now.
Always keep a pen and paper by your bed. It is better than using your phone. If you use your phone then you will get distracted by other things. Sleep with a partner? Get a little booklight. They are great for a quick little writing session.
Sleep issues are the worst because they make everything else so much worse including the sleep issues. Naps sometimes are the best medicine. If you are prone to accidentally napping, be sure to set an alarm for when you have to do something else. Nothing worse than not being able to sleep later because your nap caused you to screw something up earlier. I try not to nap and instead get back onto my sleep cycle properly. If you have kids at home, take a nap when you can. A small nap can keep you from taking your lack of sleep on the kids. Just remember to set an alarm even if you are only going to close your eyes for a few minutes.
Mother of Trauma 
Leave a comment