Demystifying Depression/Tips for Good Sleep
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Tips for Good Sleep
[edit | edit source]To conclude, I will present just a few tips on how to get a good night's sleep. These are especially important during a depression, but again, they also apply to anyone.
- No activities before going to sleep
You must avoid at all cost any adrenaline coming into your system before sleep time. Be especially careful of anything exciting or stressful. Yes, this includes most of television and even reading! Avoid also any physical exercise less than an hour before going to sleep. Always have in mind that a person with a depression will need longer than normal for the body to recover from any physical effort. Even healthy individuals should avoid doing sports at least a couple of hours before going to bed.
- Follow a steady sleep routine
Try going to bed always at the same time everyday. We all know how working in shifts and jet-lag affect sleep: do not emulate them by going to bed at random times each day!
- Give your body time to crash down
You cannot fall asleep while there is too much adrenaline running through your veins. It can take a while (even hours) before you crash down, and often people lie awake in bed waiting for sleep to come. The problem is that after a while it is very easy to start obsessing about not sleeping, which is a sure way of keeping yourself awake.
The idea is to only get ready for sleep once you have crashed down and feel tired. Before you actually get into bed, just lie there for a while (even with your clothes on), until you feel relaxed and tired.
- Go to bed early
There are several reasons why this is a good practise: foremost to be able to wake naturally rather than with an alarm clock; but also to avoid being out of sync with the solar cycle, and to give your body time to crash down.
- Make your bedroom your sanctuary
Do not have an office in the same room as where you sleep. Dedicate one room simply for sleeping, and make it as uncluttered as possible.
- Sleeping Medication
Sleep is the most important part of your day. If all other methods and tips on how to get a good night's sleep fail; talk to your doctor about taking a low dose sleeping medication.
Next page: The Controversy about Antidepressants, Previous page: Daily Routine, Top: Demystifying Depression