[Animegirl]

Hello everyone

I have been suffering from short term insomnia for almost a year now since last spring when I moved from Spain to Germany. I believe it’s the moving countries and difficulty adjusting to a different surrounding that has triggered it. I work only some hours in the afternoons also as an English tutor so I don’t have a 9-5 schedule.

I seem to be fully awake at night and can’t get comfortable tossing and turning constantly, I usually sleep only a few hours a night and have stress attacks in the mornings due to lack of sleep. I find I only become tired enough to sleep in the mornings which is stressful because it’s when you need to get up.

If anyone could provide me any advice of things to do to help sleep at night better I would appreciate it greatly! I have tried headspace which helps me sleep at the beginning of the night but I wake usually at 2/3am again  And can’t go back to sleep. I’ve also tried taking melatonin tablets before going to bed but they don’t seem to Help much. Thank you so much for any help you can give me!

[delv-x]

Hi Animegirl,

When it comes to insomnia, it is difficult to pinpoint the cause. It can be primary or secondary insomnia and a combination of various factors such as stress and genetics. Some simply require less sleep and don’t know it.

As for advice, here are some basic tips to start.

– No working, gaming, reading, TV in bed. Reserve the bed for sleep and sex only

– Have a wind down routine. Say about 30-60 minutes before bed. Try to keep it the same most or every night. For example light reading, journaling, coloring, bath, herbal tea. This will relax and calm you down and signal you that it’s your cue to start thinking about sleep.

– Go to bed only when you are tired. If you are still wide awake you won’t be able to sleep.

– If you are in bed and not asleep in what feels like 20-30 minutes, get out of bed. Tossing and turning will only add frustration and condition you to associate bed with staying awake. This also applies in your case with waking up at 3AM. If sleep doesn’t seem possible, get out of bed.

– After 30 minutes of being up, if you are tired go back to bed. Things to do in the meantime should be simple like coloring, reading, folding laundry.

– Avoid napping. If during the day you are idle and doze off a few times a day it will reduce your sleep drive and make it harder to fall asleep at night.

– Exercise. Some need it a bit more than others but it can help burn off some energy as well as your mind so you can tune out at night and stay asleep.

As for supplements, they are usually ineffective and may only work from time to time. Melatonin is only useful for jetlag and shifting timezones. You could try l-theanine that can help calm your mind a bit. If you aren’t tired it won’t work. Valerian root has mild sedative properties and may help but it may work one night and the next not work at all.

The best way to address your issue is to read up on CBT-I and follow either self guided, online or with a trained therapist. Good luck!

 

[Martin Reed]

Welcome to the forum, Animegirl. It’s completely normal for sleep to be affected when we experience a life-changing event (such as moving country) or a period of stress. Unfortunately, when this happens it is easy to start worrying about sleep — and this immediately makes sleep more difficult. Before you know it, you are trapped in a vicious cycle of ever-increasing sleep-related worry and stress, and ever-worse sleep.

Fortunately, this cycle can be broken using cognitive and behavioral techniques – CBT for insomnia. You can get an overview of what’s involved in the resources section of this website. If it all seems a bit overwhelming, you may want to look for a local therapist or an online coaching course to help you improve your sleep.

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If you are ready to stop struggling with insomnia you can enroll in the online insomnia coaching course right now! If you would prefer ongoing phone or video coaching calls as part of a powerful three month program that will help you reclaim your life from insomnia, consider applying for the Insomnia Clarity program.

The content of this post is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

[Author]

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