What’s worse: craving a fresh, hot Domino’s pizza at 2am or tossing and turning in bed at 2am because you’re so frazzled with worry that you can’t sleep? Snoopy’s got it right, the pizza cravings are worse, without a doubt!
Huh?
Domino’s or Papa John’s or whoever you prefer is closed at 2am. Cravings or not, there’s no hope of getting that oh-so-good pizza.
But getting to sleep and putting some of those worries to rest is within your power at 2am. You have options and that’s always better.
Whether its insomnia, racing thoughts or something else going on there are plenty of strategies to help get to sleep at night. Do they work 100% of the time? No, but they are options – something within our power that we can try unlike breaking into Domino’s and fixing our own pizza.
More on Sleeplessness
- Don’t Wallow – Don’t lie in bed for an hour beating yourself up because you can’t sleep. And whatever you don’t start worrying about how much sleep you’re going to lose before work or school in the morning. That’s just heaping a pile of guilty and worry on top of whatever is keeping you up.
- Get Moving – If you can’t sleep, don’t! Go clean the kitchen, read a book, walk the dog, play a game on the computer, soak in a tub. Just get moving!
- Tried & True Home Remedies – Google sleeplessness. You’ll find countless suggestions ranging from lilac candles to the more traditional glass of warm milk.
- Journal – So your thoughts are pre-occupied with something. Well, let’s get it out of your head and onto paper. Write down what is bothering you, why it is bothering you, and what you plan to do about it – tomorrow. Sometimes just having a plan of action is enough to put your mind at ease. If you don’t know where to start writing, then try using my handout on worry.
- Just Say No to Social Networking – Don’t get on Facebook, Twitter or other social networks and fiddle away the time mindlessly. It may work for some, but I’m betting it’s not great for sleep. However, if you want to journal away on your computer, write a letter to an old friend, then go for it.
- Change It Up – Try sleeping somewhere else or in another position – call me crazy – but it works for me. Go curl up on the couch or maybe sleep at the foot of the bed.
- Relaxation Audios – If you have a favorite relaxation or meditation audio, give it a shot. I have trouble not falling asleep when I listen to them. Just remember – don’t operate heavy machinery at the same time. 🙂
- Favorite Movie – Are there movies that you’ve seen a hundred times and can recite all the great lines? Put one on TV, kill the lights, close your eyes, and just get lost in story. Maybe pretend it’s an old-time radio program and imagine all those scenes you’ve watched so many times. A few of my favorites to fall asleep to: Fellowship of the Ring, Batman Begins, Gladiator, and many more
Most important – don’t lie there being miserable! Do something!
So what are your favorite tricks for escaping those racing thoughts and getting to sleep. Trust me, plenty of people are looking for genuine ideas from real people like you and me.
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