Getting a good night's sleep has a positive impact on our mental and physical health. However, many people have trouble either falling asleep or staying asleep. The result is that uncomfortable feeling of not having gotten enough rest and, consequently, poor performance in school, work, and even in our interactions with others.
Lack of sleep is linked to symptoms of anxiety, stress and depressionBut this relationship between lack of sleep and emotional symptoms is not linear, but circular. That is, sleeping poorly can make you feel more sensitive than usual, irritable, and moody during the day. And being frustrated and/or irritated for a long time can cause problems falling asleep.This opens a vicious cycle that both initiates and maintains the problem of insomnia.
The reasons for poor sleep quality are very diverse. Sometimes the cause is physiological, and other times it's due to psychological symptoms. Furthermore, there isn't always a specific cause; insomnia or sleep problems are the result of a variety of factors. multifactorial.
What to do to sleep better?
I share with you two resources to help you sleep better.
1. Sleep Guide:
"What do you need to know about sleep? How to take care of it, preventing sleep disorders." This is a free, short guide created by the Spanish Sleep Association. Highly recommended. To download it, click click here.
2. Some strategies:
Check out this video titled “How to calm your worries and sleep better: A scientist's tips for falling asleep faster” where some strategies are shared to calm your mind before bed. *Remember you can turn on Spanish subtitles.
Another option…
If you're having trouble falling asleep, I invite you to put the tips and exercises mentioned in these resources into practice. But I also invite you to reflect.
If you think there is something beyond your bedtime habits that is keeping you awake, or on the other hand, if there are recurring and intrusive thoughts that are not letting you rest, Why not take the time to explore them through psychotherapy?
This decision will depend on you and your own internal compass. You don't need psychotherapy to get a good night's sleep... Of course! But remember, There is no need to suffer from intrusive thoughts either.
There are many resources available to improve your quality of sleep… and life.
