To beat bedtime anxiety, think of your brain as a cassette deck

From qz.com

Ever since I can remember, there have been occasional nights where sleep just refuses to settle into my bones. I’ve developed some strategies for dealing with these brief bouts of insomnia. If it’s cool weather I’ll open a window, then lie on the bed without any covers until I am very cold, then cover myself up and let the soothing warmth of the comforter pull me under. I get up and read on the couch and drink something warm and non-caffeinated until I feel drowsy. Or, I just accept my fate and get up and do something.

Those occasional random nights of sleeplessness stopped being a big deal when I made my peace with them. The other kind of insomnia I experience is a little tougher to shake. In moments of big change, stress and pressure—say, just before getting married, just after publishing a big story, or while in the process of moving, or in the midst of an important decision—I get anxiety insomnia. Instead of drifting off to sleep, my chest gets tight and my breathing gets shallow. I can feel every heartbeat. I just can’t quiet my busy mind. (Apparently I'm not the only one)

When I first experienced this, in college, a friend shared a trick that I still use. She was experiencing the same anxiety-driven sleeplessness, and her therapist offered up the following advice: Think of something relaxing and fun. Conceptualize that activity or narrative as a tape that you can pop into the cassette deck of your mind. Actively gather a couple at any given time. Then, when you’re in bed, watching the minutes tick by, just pick your tape and press play. (I’m old enough that evoking the era of mix tapes on cassette is a pleasantly nostalgic experience, but if “cassette tape” is an abstract concept to you, try thinking of it as a soothing playlist instead.)

It really works. Right now the “tapes” I have in heavy rotation include a bathroom remodel, and various ambitious cooking projects, including sourdough starter and the Zahay lamb shoulder. Sometimes I build a capsule wardrobe for myself in an alternate reality that doesn’t include my children or ketchup, or I plan ahead to next year’s garden. These tapes are generally very process-driven and free from serious emotional content, somewhere at the junction of things I will eventually do and fantasy hobbies that I wish I had time for.

This technique has some basis in brain science. It’s not unlike the technique known as "cognitive shuffling" devised by a Canadian cognitive scientist. A growing body of research indicates that meditation and mindfulness can be effective treatment for chronic insomnia. A study published in the journal Sleep in 2014 found that meditation-based therapies significantly reduced the severity of chronic insomnia, echoing a study from decades earlier.

These studies were small, and more research needs to be done to prove the point. And of course, true meditation is far more intense than making a few mix tapes your mind. That’s part of the brilliance of the tape method, though. For occasional, topical insomnia, it’s a very easy way to quiet the mind and get a little more sleep - or at least feel less frantic about the sleep you’re not getting.

https://qz.com/quartzy/1372515/fight-nighttime-anxiety-and-sleep-better-with-this-bedtime-routine/

Conquering sleep issues

From haveagonews.com.au

GETTING to sleep is a problem for everyone at times and this often becomes more of a problem as we age.
RPH sleep scientist Dr Kim Ward says it is important to seek medical advice for a possible sleep disorder if getting to sleep becomes a persistent problem.
At night, older people may take longer to get to sleep, wake up more often and spend less time in deep, refreshing sleep. They also have a higher risk of insomnia. More serious than occasional insomnia is obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).
“Obstructive sleep apnoea is very common in middle to older age, and often presents as insomnia because every time the person falls asleep, the throat obstructs and causes an awakening, and this cycle can be repeated over and over,” said Dr Ward.
When the throat obstructs breathing stops for a short time – from 10 seconds up to a minute or more – and blood oxygen levels fall as a result. This interrupts sleep for a few seconds but this disrupts your snooze and can be repeated many times during the night.
Alcohol and sleeping tablets may make OSA worse.
Check your sleeping habits (below) and if OSA persists see your doctor.

For the best chance of getting a good night’s sleep follow the advice of the Sleep Health Foundation:

Your bedroom should be quiet, dark, comfortable and neither too hot nor too cold. Ban all electronic gear such as computers, TVs, mobile phones and clocks that you can see from the bed.
Try to go to bed at the same time every night and avoid food, caffeine, alcohol, exercise and computer games just before bedtime and don’t take long naps especially during the evening.
If you haven’t fallen asleep after about 30 minutes, don’t stay in bed. Get up, go to another room and do something quiet and restful in dim light like reading a book. Don’t use your computer, mobile or TV, because the light they emit can stimulate your mind and keep you awake.
When you start feeling tired, go back to bed. If you still can’t fall asleep, get up again.
Don’t worry if you have to repeat this several times.
Remember to get up at your regular wake-up time however little sleep you have had to avoid getting into a non-sleep routine.
Sleeping pills will send you to sleep but do not deal with the cause of sleep problems and they can be addictive. Moreover the longer you take them, the less they will work. This means they are really only a short term solution for a short term problem.

Over the counter sleeping pills include doxylamine which can be taken for up to 10 days and herbal remedies usually containing valerian or camomile for which there is little hard evidence of efficacy.
Melatonin, available only on prescription, may also work for some older people.
If these hints don’t help consider trying mindfulness meditation. This teaches you to manage your physical sensations, thoughts, and emotions in a non-critical way.
Join a class or download a mindfulness app. You can listen to the app at bedtime or take part in activities that encourage mindfulness, such as yoga, Pilates, walking or Tai Chi.
Another suggested mindfulness technique is 4-7-8 breathing. Breath in through your nose for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, then exhale through your mouth for eight seconds. This is said to soothe you to sleep.
If all this fails to help you sleep you could try cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT).

Research shows this is effective in the medium and long term especially for older adults. It reduces sleeping difficulties by 50 per cent on average.
There are effective online CBT programs online such as SHUTi (myshuti.com) that can be accessed from home.
If you are having ongoing trouble sleeping, persistent problems with mood, restlessness in bed, severe snoring or wakening unrefreshed, don’t assume it is a normal part of ageing.
See your doctor who may refer you to a sleep specialist or psychologist.

https://www.haveagonews.com.au/health/research/conquering-sleep-issues/

5 Reasons You’re Waking Up In The Middle Of The Night (And How To Fix It)

From thealternativedaily.com

Few things can be as frustrating as waking up in the middle of the night unable to fall back asleep. This phenomenon, called middle of the night insomnia (aka middle insomnia), is described as being able to fall asleep with no issue only to wake sometime later unable to return to your dreams. If you are lucky enough to fight through the insomnia and eventually fall back asleep, chances are, once your alarm goes off, you’ll be waking up feeling groggy, irritable and unable to function.

Thankfully, there are a few underlying reasons you may be afflicted with middle insomnia and a number of all-natural remedies to try to combat it.
First, let’s examine a few causes of middle insomnia…

Sleep disorders

While middle insomnia may be classified as a mild sleep disorder, sometimes it can be the result of a larger physical disorder, such as sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a common disorder that causes the upper airways to become blocked repeatedly throughout the night. This causes the individual to take “pauses” while breathing, sometimes up to ten seconds in length. Over the course of the night, these multiple pauses can deplete the brain of oxygen which can lead to memory and mood issues, hypertension and cardiovascular problems.

If you think you may have sleep apnea, there are some signs to look out for as well as a test that can be performed by a physician. In serious cases of sleep apnea, a breathing machine, medication or surgery may be prescribed.

Age and gender

As we age, sleep tends to become lighter with more wake-ups throughout the night. This may be the result of more frequent bathroom breaks caused by an enlarged prostate in older men or blood pressure medications which sometimes act as diuretics. Women who are experiencing hormonal changes either right before their menstruation cycle or those going through menopause may find their sleep disrupted by night sweats, an increased heart rate or abdominal cramping. Pregnant women are also at risk to experience middle insomnia caused by foetal activity, heartburn, leg cramps and vivid dreams.

Environmental factors

The noise from the street outside your bedroom window or the blue light of your alarm clock casting a glow over your bedside table may be partly to blame for why you’re waking up in the middle of the night. While some things may be out of your control (especially for those who live in crowded cities), the goal should be to make your bedroom as dark and cave-like as possible.
Try turning the alarm clock away from you or putting a towel over it to block the light. Invest in thicker curtains or blackout shades to prevent even a sliver of light from coming through the window. If you have a partner who tends to snore loudly, think about investing in an inexpensive noise cancelling machine.
Additionally, the choices you make throughout the day, even hours before getting into bed, can have dramatic impacts on your sleep schedule. Try to eliminate all caffeine at least eight hours before bed and avoid going directly to bed after a heavy meal. Alcohol and nicotine can act as stimulants with delayed reactions, which may explain why individuals who consume too much may fall asleep quickly but never fully reach REM sleep (the deepest sleep state).

Stress and anxiety

Much as we hate to admit it, we’ve all been guilty at some point of bringing the problems and stresses of the day with us to bed. Whether it’s troubles at work, a loved one’s illness or something as small as a snide comment made in your direction, it’s hard to just shut your brain off once you lay down and close your eyes. In fact, for most of us, laying in bed feels like the time our brain is the most active.
Mix that with the overanalysing we tend to do in stressful situations and you’re bound to be stuck on a loop of “stress causing insomnia, insomnia causing stress.” If you’re prone to anxiety, you may experience feelings of stress and unease when you’re up in the middle of the night wondering if you’ll ever fall back asleep in time to feel rested for the next day.
Thankfully, there are a number of natural remedies you can try to alleviate, if not eliminate, waking up in the middle of the night. However, it is important to note that, much like middle insomnia, these are not “one size fits all” remedies — with a little trial-and-error you should be able to find the solution that will have you off to dreamland in no time.

Do something meditative

Here at The Alternative Daily, we are huge proponents of meditation and the incredible impacts it can have on your body and brain. Meditation has been studied for its ability to help treat sufferers of chronic insomnia by allowing them to refocus their thoughts and calm anxiety. Meditation can be thought of much in the same way as exercise for its potential to boost your mood and eliminate belly fat; but, much like exercise, meditation takes dedication and practice in order to yield results.

                             Try reading by a low light if you wake up in the middle of the night.

If you’re new to meditation you may find that trying to lay in stillness and clear your mind is too difficult — and if you’re attempting to do this while wide-awake at three o’clock in the morning, you may end up more frustrated than before. Instead, look for a calming meditative activity you can do, even for a few minutes, to try and refocus your brain. This can be something as simple as light cleaning around your home (careful not to wake up family members!), listening to a relaxing podcast or reading your favourite book under a low light. Anything that you can do to take your mind off of your insomnia should help to make you feel tired enough to go back to bed.

Invest in this essential oil

Lavender oil, believed by some to be the most versatile essential oil available, has been scientifically proven to help sufferers of anxiety and individuals with insomnia. Lavender’s soothing scent is calming and relaxing, which explains why manufacturers have put it into everything from candles and cleaning products to room sprays and beauty products. For an immediate feeling of calm, put one to two drops of lavender essential oil (look for 100% Pure or therapeutic-grade) into the palm of your hand and breathe deeply. You can also mix a few drops of essential oil with coconut oil and apply directly to your wrists, temples and the bottoms of your feet to allow the essence to work all over you.

                                                      Lavender oil can help with insomnia

Another great way to use lavender essential oil is by mixing up a relaxing linen spray you can use on your pillows and bedding before climbing into bed. This will allow you to begin experiencing the positive effects of lavender even before you close your eyes.

Lavender linen spray

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons witch hazel
• 6 tablespoons water
• 10 drops 100% lavender essential oil

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a reusable spray bottle.
2. Shake well and mist the mixture onto your pillows, bedding and surrounding areas before sleep.

https://www.thealternativedaily.com/5-reasons-you-wake-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night-and-how-to-fix-it/