Years ago, life was simple. A day was just a day: Twenty-four hours. You slept eight, worked eight and spent the remainder at home with your family… for better or worse. Today’s day, a complex design, filled with economic and social stressors, is much longer; or at least it seems that way to those who find themselves awake during most of it!
Professional and personal issues accumulated from work, family, social organizations and peer groups need to be reviewed…again and again. Who has time to sleep? The result: Insomnia. A consistent feature of insomniacs is that they deliberately pay attention to those experiences which cause discomfort. Then they try to not attend to them, desiring sleep instead. But instead, they create an interesting paradox known as, “Be spontaneous!” This is achieved when “trying” to make an activity which usually occurs instantaneously, without forethought, happen purposely, under conscious control. Furthermore, negation exists only in language– not experience. When you think not-X, your mind immediately creates the experience, X.
Confused? Try something. As you continue reading, line by line, you are not likely aware of your eyes blinking. However, they do so, all day, usually without your even realizing it. Now, try to not-think about blinking. What happened? Meanwhile, the insomniac who is trying to not-attend to the day’s stressors begins to realize that the only thing that is not happening is sleep. He (she) then adds a new dimension to the review process: worrying.
“Hey! It’s now after two a.m., fifteen minutes since the last jolt of anxiety. I have to get up in four hours for work? Let’s see, if I fall asleep in five minutes, I could reset the clock and still get…hmm…but what if I’m up all night?”
To be sure, not all sleep-related difficulties are due to replaying stressful events. Insomnia may be chronic, involving sleeplessness for long periods– from three months to over a year. Such instances may indicate the need for treatment by a sleep-disorder specialist, as the sleeplessness could be symptomatic of a clinical depression, panic disorder, or medical problem such as Parkinson’s disease. However, those who suffer from transient insomnia, that is, occasional sleeplessness during stressful times, might benefit from a few suggestions:
- Try to stay awake. That’s right, try to not-sleep! Do something useful, as long as you are up. Write, read, pay bills, call another insomniac, roll loose coins, brush the dog– do anything other than sitting in bed worrying about the day’s stress; or the fact that you are still not asleep. A word of caution: Be sure you get out of bed. A bed should be the occasion or “anchor” for only two activities: One is sleep…and the other is not trying to stay awake.
- Be a regular guy (gal). We are creatures of habit. Make them good ones. Our bodies respond well to consistency. Maintain a routine schedule for sleep, especially if you are experiencing sleep disturbances. Avoid the temptation, often on weekends, to deviate markedly from your regular waking- sleeping schedule. Of greater importance is maintaining a consistent wake-up time.
- Be fit to be tired. Exercise is often considered essential for weight loss, muscle toning, improved oxygen efficiency better circulation, and so forth. But exercising moderately over time can also improve your sleep.
- When possible, say, “No” to drugs. Limit caffeine in the morning. Try to avoid it after mid-day. Some people who have difficulty sleeping turn to alcohol as a “nightcap.” Though it may help you fall asleep, after it has metabolized in your system, it can create sleep disturbances.
- Avoid napping. Anyone have a cat? They wake you early in the morning to be fed or let out. Then when you get busy, they curl up someplace and take a nap. But cats are on a different sleep schedule than you. They are up most of the night– without worrying about it! Naps are just another way of negatively altering your sleep pattern.
Did you ever lose something, and exhaust yourself to no avail trying to find it? Then notice that after having forgotten about it, the item suddenly appears? Sleep often works that way, too. Pleasant dreams, but try to not notice…