Sleep Strategies: Don't Think, Just Do

The don't think sleep trick is a clever tactic to help you fall asleep when your mind is racing with thoughts. It involves a mental technique that distracts your brain from cyclical thinking and preoccupies it with something calming and monotonous. This trick is particularly useful for those who struggle with insomnia or have a hard time quieting their thoughts at night. By employing this strategy, you can train your mind to associate specific actions or thoughts with sleep, making it easier to drift off into a peaceful slumber.

Try to stay awake

The "Try to Stay Awake" method is a counterintuitive approach to tackling insomnia and sleep performance anxiety. It is based on the concept of paradoxical intent, a cognitive behavioural therapy technique. This technique suggests that instead of trying to fall asleep, you should try to stay awake. Here's how it works and some tips to maximise its effectiveness:

How it Works

The "Try to Stay Awake" method is particularly useful for those who struggle to sleep due to anxiety about not falling asleep. By intentionally staying awake, you reduce the worry and anxiety associated with falling asleep, which then allows your mind to relax and drift off. This technique is especially helpful for those with insomnia, as it helps overcome the fear and conscious effort of falling asleep.

Tips for Maximising Effectiveness:

• Create a Worry Journal: Set aside time earlier in the day to write down your worries or concerns. By doing this a few hours before bedtime, you can leave your worries on paper and reduce anxiety when it's time to sleep.
• Engage in Mentally Tiring Activities: Instead of physical exercise, opt for activities that tire you out mentally, such as reading a book or doing puzzles. This type of mental engagement can help differentiate day from night and improve your sleep.
• Power Naps: If you're feeling extremely tired, a short power nap of 10 to 15 minutes can help jumpstart your energy levels. However, avoid napping after 3 pm, as it may interfere with your bedtime sleep.
• Nutrition: Opt for natural sources of sugar, such as fruit, raisins, or dark chocolate, which has a lower sugar content and a small amount of caffeine. These provide a healthier boost of energy compared to caffeine and refined sugar.
• Hydration: Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Your body is typically dehydrated when you wake up, so a glass of water first thing in the morning can help you feel more awake.
• Exercise: While evening exercise may not be ideal, engaging in physical activity during the day can improve your overall sleep quality. Aim for at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week to boost your energy levels and enhance your sleep.
• Sunlight and Fresh Air: Exposure to sunlight and fresh air can help strengthen your body's circadian rhythm, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
• Reduce Screen Time: Staring at electronic screens can cause eye strain and contribute to feelings of tiredness. Take regular breaks from screens, and if possible, avoid screens at least an hour before bedtime to improve your sleep hygiene.

Remember, the "Try to Stay Awake" method is just one tool in your sleep toolkit. Combining it with other healthy sleep habits, such as improving your sleep hygiene and creating a bedtime routine, will help you maximise your sleep quality.

Write down your worries

Stress and anxiety can keep you awake at night, and worrying about not being able to sleep can create a vicious cycle. To avoid this, it's important to address your worries before bedtime.

Set Aside Time to Worry

Try setting aside a designated time towards the end of the day to think about your worries and make a plan for tackling them. This will help you process your concerns ahead of time so they don't interfere with your sleep.

Write Them Down

Writing down your worries can be an effective way to get them out of your head and leave them behind. Take 15 minutes to jot down your concerns in a journal or make a list of your worries and the next steps towards solving them. This can help reduce the amount of worry that creeps into your bedtime routine.

Choose a Relaxing Activity

Engaging in activities that relax your mind can also help you fall asleep more easily. Try reading a book, doing puzzles, listening to calming music, or practising relaxation techniques such as meditation, guided imagery, or progressive muscle relaxation.

Avoid Unhelpful Habits

It's important to avoid unhelpful habits that can interfere with your sleep. This includes staying up late, napping during the day, excessive caffeine intake, and spending too much time on electronic devices before bed. Instead, establish a consistent sleep schedule and create a relaxing bedtime routine to signal to your body that it's time to wind down.

Tire your mind, not your body

While regular exercise is beneficial for sleep, working out at night to facilitate sleep is not a good idea. This is because, while your body might be tired after a workout, your mind may not be ready for sleep. Sleep psychologist Deirdre Conroy recommends engaging in activities that tire you out mentally instead.

• Read a book: Reading is a great way to engage your mind and can help you relax before bed.
• Do puzzles: Puzzles are mentally stimulating and can help take your mind off worries or stress, preparing you for sleep.
• Journaling: Writing down your concerns or worries in a journal can help get them out of your head and onto paper. This can reduce worry and anxiety at bedtime, making it easier to fall asleep.
• Controlled breathing: This technique involves using your mind to control your breathing and slow your heart rate, helping to relax your body. One such technique is the 4-7-8 method, where you breathe in for a count of four, hold your breath for a count of seven, and exhale slowly for a count of eight.
• Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR): This technique involves tensing and then relaxing your muscles, which can aid in relaxation and prepare your body for sleep.
• Visualisation: Visualising a calming scene or imagining your body relaxing can help lull you to sleep.

Controlled breathing

Step 1: Breathe Deeply

Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Take slow, deep breaths. This will help you relax your body, calm your nervous system, slow your heart rate, and trigger the production of melatonin, a natural hormone that makes you feel sleepy.

Step 2: Relax Your Face

Slowly relax all the muscles in your face, starting from your forehead and moving down to your cheeks, mouth, and jaw. Don't forget to relax your tongue and the muscles around your eyes.

Step 3: Drop Your Shoulders and Arms

Once your face is relaxed, shift your focus to your neck, shoulders, and arms. Relax your neck and let go of any tension. Drop your shoulders and let your arms sink into the bed. Focus on one arm at a time, relaxing your bicep, forearm, hand, and fingers.

Step 4: Work Your Way Downward

After relaxing your shoulders and arms, move your attention to your chest, abdomen, and pelvis. Then, focus on one leg, relaxing your thigh, knee, calf, ankle, foot, and toes. Repeat this process for the other leg.

Step 5: Clear Your Mind

Once you have consciously relaxed every part of your body, focus on clearing your mind. You can do this by visualizing a calming image, such as a meadow or a dark room with a hammock. If visualization doesn't work for you, say the words "don't think" in your mind for about 10 seconds. If other thoughts distract you, gently bring your attention back to your visualization or mantra.

Practising this technique consistently for about six weeks is said to help you master it, so you can fall asleep quickly and easily.

Visualise a calm place

Visualising a calm place is a great way to help you fall asleep. This technique is known as "imagery distraction" and has been proven to help people fall asleep faster. It's all about engaging your imagination and letting a serene setting take over your mind.

Start by choosing a calm and peaceful spot. This could be anywhere you like, as long as it's relaxing to you. It could be a beach, a waterfall, or even just your bed. Next, fill in the details. What objects are there? What colours do you see? Can you hear any sounds? The more specific you can be, the better. For example, if you're imagining a waterfall, picture the rushing water, the damp moss, and the sound of the water echoing off the rocks.

If you need some help coming up with ideas, try asking yourself questions. Can I feel the sun on my skin? What can I smell in the air? What does the ground feel like beneath my feet?

As you focus on these details, your mind will be prevented from re-engaging with any worries or stressful thoughts. This will help you relax and make it easier to fall asleep.

You can also visualise your body relaxing. As you breathe deeply and slowly, imagine your breath as a wind coursing through your body, easing tension as it moves through each part of you and then escapes.

Frequently asked questions