I had sleep apnea for about 6 years. I read every article and forum that was available online. Every time when I get an invite to a social event, I would be excited the previous night, causing me to not sleep. After the event, I would be wired and not be able to fall asleep as well. I started cancelling a lot of social events so that it won't interrupt my sleep. When you re-arrange your life for insomnia, insomnia has become your life.
Insomnia or sleep apnea usually occurs when there is no need to get up at the same time every day. This usually happens during college, unemployment, or self-employment.
Sometimes your sleep is so light (stage 1 sleep), that you mistook it for being awake. Sometimes, I can even hear myself snoring. It is possible to spend the entire night in stage 1 and feel like I haven't slept all night. In order to feel good in the morning, you must spend enough time in delta sleep. Four hours in delta sleep is better than 12 hours in stage one.
After trying everything, this seems to be the formula that cured my sleep apnea.
Step 1 : Stop the blame
Good sleepers don't try or think about falling asleep, they just trust that they can. Don't blame insomnia on outside factors. People that live beside a railroad track eventually learns to fall asleep. Anything new or unfamiliar is likely to be stimulating or threatening to your mind. This will disturb your sleep for a period of time. A good example is sleeping on an airplane.
Step 2 : Positive Thinking
Whatever you focus on will grow and come to dominate your thoughts and life. Therefore, don't think about insomnia or sleep. Insomnia forums are full of people looking for an answer rather than having the solution. Most people that found the solution to their sleep problem usually don't hang around those forums anymore, they're sleeping. Do not talk to others about your insomnia because it creates a negative feedback loop. You would tell them how horrible your sleep is and how you only got 2 hours sleep last night. Every time you exaggerate, you give yourself a new goal to live up to. Boasting eventually becomes reality. On the flip side, if you focus on the good things in life and they become magnified in the same way. Tell people how much better your sleep has gotten. By saying out loud, it re-enforces your belief and it will be come reality.
Step 3 : Sleeping Pills
It's better to not sleep than to get a full night of drugged sleep. Sleeping pills usually helps you fall asleep but it doesn't keep you asleep. When the pill wears off throughout the night, it's the comedown that wakes you up. However, although you slept the previous night, it causes drowssiness throughout the day since it's still in your bloodstream. Sleeping pills can also cause depression and be addictive. When you swallow a pill, you're saying to yourself, "I can't sleep unaided and any success of sleeping is because of the pills."
However, if you do decide to stop taking sleeping pills, rebound insomnia will occur shortly after. Rebound insomnia will be much worst than before you took the pills.
Step 4 : Do not nap
A nap in the day lessens the chance of sleeping at night. Sacrifice the nap and force yourself to stay awake for a full night's sleep.
Step 5 : Cut Out Stimulants
Cut out any stimulants 5 hours before bed. Examples are soda, coffee, or anything with caffeine or excess sugar.
Step 6 : Exercise
Get some exercise at least 3 times a week. Small exercises everyday is better than a huge workout once a week. However, do not excessive less than 5 hours before bed.
Step 7 : Be Comfortable
Enjoying a hot bath or shower one hour before bed is helpful. As the body cools down, sleepiness sets in, reaching a peak after one hour. Make your bed as comfortable as possible. Black out the window shades with thick curtains. Sound proof the windows and walls with insulation. Keep a space heater in the room to keep the temperature perfect. Clean up the bedroom so that you don't feel stressed. Purchase a comfortable mattress and pillow. If your partner constantly wakes you, try finding a different room to sleep in until your insomnia is gone.
Step 8 : Clock Watching
Watching the clock creates an unhealthy obsession with time. For the time being, cover the clock with a towel so that you can't see the time in the middle of the night. Still set your alarm, just don't show the time.
Step 9 : Do not oversleep
Whatever you do in bed becomes associated with the bed. Every hour you lie in bed awake weakens your association between bed and sleep. Longer time spent in bed means shorter chance of deep sleep. Make yourself really tired, then go to sleep. If you're not asleep within 20 minutes, then get out of bed and do something. This method will take a while to change the association between bed and sleep.
Let's say you go to bed early hoping to catch some sleep but end up lying awake for a long period of time, this will associate the bed with being awake. This association also happens if you spend too much time lying awake in the morning. If you find yourself waking up half an hour before the alarm goes off, cut it back half an hour to prevent yourself from lounging around. On the flip side, if you find yourself sleepy during the day, increase the alarm by 1/2 hour.
People report that limiting their time in bed to just the right hours has allowed them to sleep throughout the night. 90% of all insomnia and sleep apnea can be cured simply by spending less time in bed.
Step 10 : Create a routine
Good sleep loves routine. Keep yours and good sleep will become a habit.
Written by : Johnson Huynh
Reference : The Effortless Sleep Method: The Incredible New Cure for Insomnia and Chronic Sleep Problem by by Sasha Stephens
No comments:
Post a Comment