Dealing with Anxiety Symptoms: Insomnia

• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Progressive muscle relaxation
• Biofeedback
• Stimulus control
• Paradoxical intention
• Use of imagery 

Up to 80% of patients using behavioral techniques have reported improvement in sleep in as little as four weeks and the majority of patients using medication were able to reduce or eliminate the use of medication after participating in a behavioral program.

Five Tips to Getting a Good Night's Sleep

Incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Increasing the amount of exercise you get each day can help to improve your ability to fall asleep as well as the quality of sleep you get. In addition, exercise offers many health benefits. Thirty minutes of exercise a day, even if taken as 3 ten-minute spurts of exercise or doing yoga and stretching exercises while watching television in the evening.

Avoid taking naps during the day. Naps, especially when taken late in the afternoon can interfere with sleeping at night. Instead of taking a nap, try taking a brisk walk to help invigorate yourself. If you must take a nap, try to take one earlier in the day and limit your nap to 30 minutes.

Avoid alcohol, caffeine and nicotine. Alcohol may help put some people to sleep but the quality of the sleep is usually poor. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants and can interfere with both falling asleep and staying asleep.

Go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning. Keeping to a set schedule will help tell your body that it is time to sleep. The longer you keep your routine, the easier you will find it is to fall asleep each night.

Create a bedtime routine to help you relax. Preparation for bedtime will help to alert your body that it is time for sleep. Think about the things that help you relax. It could be reading a book, listening to soft music, taking a warm bath or engaging in a quiet activity such as knitting. Spend some time each evening, right before bedtime to wind down, relax can help improve your ability to fall asleep.

Sources:

"Insomnia", Reviewed 2007, March 14, Reviewed by Greg Juhn, M.T.P.W., David R. Eltz, Kelli A. Stacy, A.D.A.M.

"A Vicious Cycle: Insomnia, Anxiety and Depression", 2004-2009, Duke University Health System