|
GETTING A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP WHEN YOU ARE GRIEVING
 One of the first impacts the bereaved feel is sleep struggle. It manifests itself in these ways: difficulty falling asleep; difficulty staying asleep; waking up over the slightest issue in the environment, such as the light of a clock radio or a branch scraping against a window. Yet, sleep struggle isn't something which a grieving person simply has to bear. Here are eight steps which can be taken to get a better night's sleep.
1. Maintain a consistent sleep pattern. Establish and maintain a regular sleep schedule. Stick to a schedule that you maintain seven days a week. Go to bed at the same time daily and get up at the same time daily. Avoid sleeping in on the weekends because if you sleep in Sunday morning you may get Sunday night insomnia.
2. If you smoke, quit. Nicotine is a stimulant preventing a person from falling asleep. Studies show that smokers are four times more likely not to feel as well rested after a night's sleep than nonsmokers.
3. Eliminate caffeine intake. Try to have your last cup of coffee by mid afternoon. Caffeine can remain in the body's system as long as eight hours after it is consumed. Also remember that it's not just coffee which has caffeine, but also soda and tea.
4. Get physical. Various studies show that exercise is beneficial. A mere 30 to 45 minutes during the day or early evening helps insomniacs enjoy better and longer sleep. For example, one study of more than 700 adults found those who included regular physical activity in their daily routine slept better at night, lessened daytime sleepiness, and suffered from fewer nightmares. Physical activity enhances deep, refreshing sleep by increasing metabolism and body temperature, both of which drop about four to six hours later, providing sounder sleep.
5. Set your thermostat lower at night. When the body feels cooler it automatically produces melatonin, a hormone which induces sleep. That's one reason why a warm bath is a good prerequisite for sleep. The body is nicely warmed and then, upon entering a cool bedroom, the body is cued to feel sleepy.
6. Establish a winding down ritual. One woman devotes the last 40 minutes of the evening for what she calls sleep preparation. "I give my body time to transition from activity to rest via two twenty minute segments. The first twenty minutes I take care of personal hygiene such as removing my makeup, brushing my teeth, and taking a warm bath. The next twenty minutes I spend doing some leisure reading in bed. Then it's lights out. Following this pattern every evening has helped me sleep much better."
7. Turn on "white" noise. White noise is any low level soothing sound which can block distractions such as outside traffic, a barking dog, or a TV on in another part of the house. Many find that simply running a fan on low all night is effective in generating white noise. 8. Do some deep breathing. Simply taking deep inhalations and equally deep exhalations helps reduce heart rate and blood pressure. This relaxes the body, priming it for sleep. Try inhaling fully and hold for a second or two, then exhale fully. Start with seven to ten repetitions and then begin to breath normally. | 
