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Sleep

When we sleep, we go through four stages. These stages help our body and mind feel refreshed and ready for the day. However, anxiety disorders can and do affect our sleep, leaving us with too little sleep.  This lack of sleep can have long and short term affects such as our mood the following day, how we perceive things, irritability, lack of motivation and a reduced sex drive. 

Therefore, by using sleep hygiene it can help you get a better quality of sleep. Remember it’s the quality we are after not the quantity! So, to help try the following:

  • Keep a regular sleep routine: try to go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time – setting an alarm clock to achieve this
  • Check medication: some can affect sleep, though NEVER just stop taking them, always talk to someone first 
  • Get out into natural light during the day
  • When going to sleep, keep your room cool dark and quiet
  • Exercise regularly in the day but not three hours before bed
  • Avoid stimulants i.e. caffeine, though drink plenty of fluids in the day and don’t go to bed full, thirsty or hungry
  • Don’t use alcohol to help you sleep or for three hours before bed
  • Avoid nicotine before bed

  • Be tech savvy: switch on the night time setting on your mobile phone, laptop or computer and don’t use if you wake up