Depression Messes With Your Sleep - Here's How to Fight Back

If you read last week’s post, you know how depression majorly screws with our sleeping patterns.   Quality sleep is crucial for everyone but is especially important for business owners (and mega-especially important for business owners with mental illness).  High-quality sleep can keep fatigue at bay and make sure you have enough brainpower and energy to get things done.  Here’s how to get a good night’s sleep, even if mental illness has you tossing and turning.
 
If you have trouble falling asleep at night:

• Take a look at your sleeping routine - For your body to be able to fall asleep quickly, it needs two things: (1) a consistent sleep/wake cycle and (2) a familiar nightly wind-down routine. By sticking to the same bedtime and wake-up times every day (yes – even weekends!), your body and mind will be able to start anticipating sleep.  This, in combination with a regular wind-down routine such as meditating, reading, or journaling, will signal to your body that it is time to relax and prepare for sleep.
• Set yourself up for sleep – A good night’s sleep is a 7+ hour affair – prepare yourself accordingly!  Darken the room completely or use an eye mask, use ear plugs or put on white noise if you’re a light sleeper, and choose a healthy, comfortable sleeping position.  (If you’re unsure what a healthy sleeping position looks like, download my sleep here for examples.)
• Explore natural sleep-promoters – There are tons of natural substances that have been proven to be safe and effective sleep aids including:
  • Chamomile
    • Benefits: promotes sleep, relaxation, and digestion.  Plus, a 2016 study found that it may also be helpful for depression!
    • Forms: tea, capsule, tincture 
  • Lavender
    • Benefits: calming effects, pain reliever,
    • Forms: essential oil, tea
  • Melatonin
    • Benefits: increased speed and quality of sleep, immunity-booster. 
    • Forms: capsule
  • Cannabis
    • Benefits: both CBD and THC have anti-inflammatory and relaxation properties. 
    • Forms: edibles, flower (the whole plant), tinctures

As always, be sure to check with a doctor or other healthcare professional before taking any supplements. (Source: Healthline)
 
If you tend to wake up in the middle of the night:

• Drink water, but not too closely to bedtime – It’s important to hydrate at nighttime to prevent midnight thirst pangs or muscle cramps from waking you up.  However, be sure to stop drinking water about an hour before bedtime and to use the bathroom right before bed to avoid any unwanted bathroom trips.
• Stay calm – Freaking out that you can’t fall asleep will only keep you wired and awake for longer.  Try to let go of the goal of sleeping and focus on relaxing instead, a technique I call “sneaking yourself to sleep.”
• Try mind-clearing techniques – My favorite is counting my breaths backwards from 100.  If I start screwing up the numbers, I know that I must be getting sleepy.
• If you really can’t go back to sleep - If you’re tossing and turning for more than 30 minutes, get out of bed and do something that relaxes you.  Try drinking a cup of tea, reading something boring, or listening to soothing music until you feel tired again.

 
What other sleep tips would you add to this list?  Leave a comment below!