Simple Tricks and Tips to Manage Anxiety and Insomnia

Insomnia or sleeplessness is quite difficult to cope with and for people suffering from anxiety, it is even tougher. People suffering from anxiety remain in a state of mental and physical distress. On top of this, if they cannot sleep well because of insomnia, life becomes quite hard. Insomnia causes anxiety and also is caused due to anxiety.

Here are some simple tips to manage anxiety and insomnia:

1. Maintain a schedule: Try to go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. Experiment with several different bedtimes and wake up times to find out which one works best for you.
2. Turn off electronic devices: Switch off all electronic devices thirty minutes before you go to bed. Electronic devices stimulate your mind and the light from the devices does not make you feel that it is time to sleep. Keep the devices away from you while going to bed.
3. Dim lights: Practice dimming all lights in your house before bedtime. Change light bulbs and replace them with low wattage lights. This will enable you to have lights, although they are dim. Low lighting will make your body produce melatonin to make you prepare for sleep.
4. Keep away from alcohol and smoking: Consuming alcoholic drinks before bedtime reduces your quality of sleep and you may wake up within two hours. Do not consume alcohol before bedtime. Smoking should be restricted before sleeping, as the nicotine contained in cigarettes is a stimulant, which can take away your sleep.
5. Ignore caffeinated drinks: Caffeine is a stimulant and consuming caffeinated drinks before going to bed can result in losing sleep. Do not drink coffee before sleeping.
6. Exercise: Exercise is a perfect solution to reduce anxiety and results in improved sleep quality. Exercise regularly during the day or three to four hours before bedtime. Yoga and meditation performed just before going to sleep are effective.
7. Make a pre-sleep ritual: Try to find ways, which would help you calm your mind just before going to sleep and practice it every day. This can be reading a book, taking a hot shower or listening to your favorite songs. Your mind will be relaxed, and you will get better sleep.
8. Maintain a sleep journal: Keep a sleep journal and write about the time when you go to sleep and when you wake up. Also note down the time you require to fall asleep, the number of times your sleep breaks and how your sleep was. This will enable you to observe your sleep patterns and make adjustments.

For people suffering from anxiety, added insomnia results in enhanced difficulty. One should cope with the problems properly and try to improve upon them.