So, we already know about sheep. Did not help. It's already three o'clock in the morning. Birds, squirrels and even mosquitoes fell asleep - everyone except you. Most of us have had to deal with a similar situation. What to do?
So there is a perfect solution for you: get up!
Imagine yourself as Pavlov's dog
Oddly enough, during his experiments, Pavlov noticed that dogs began to salivate at the sight of laboratory assistants in white coats. In other words, the appearance of a white coat has become a powerful food signal for dogs.
Such signals around us play a more significant role in human life than is commonly believed. They not only make dogs salivate, they help us sleep. It turns out that insomnia often occurs when the sight of the bed no longer gives us a clear signal that it's time to sleep.
This idea gave birth to a method of treating insomnia by controlling stimuli, which clinical psychologist Richard Butzin began to develop in the 1970s. The central idea is that the bed should only be used for sleep (and sex). Therefore, it is recommended to go to bed only when you really want to sleep.
In other words, if you are awake, get up. Do not read, do not watch TV, do not indulge in reflections while lying in bed. All this reduces control over stimuli and contradicts the creation of the bed-sleep association. In return, your brain receives a mixed signal that it might not be that time for sleep, that it’s lunchtime, or that time for anxious looking at the ceiling.
So what do you do? The main idea of the method is to turn the bed into an exclusively sleeping area, but everything is a little more complicated. In general, therapy consists of five steps.
Promotional video:
Only go to bed when you really want to sleep
Not just broken after a hard day, but want to sleep, that is, your eyes close and you yawn.
Can't sleep - get up
If you've been in bed for 15 minutes and continue to count sheep, leave the bedroom and do some simple activity. Avoid looking at the screen as bluish light further disrupts sleep. Better to read a book or draw something.
In addition, while lying in bed, do not look at the clock, this interferes with relaxation. If you feel like sleep is in either eye, stand up.
Stay awake for a predetermined period
After waking up in the middle of the night, don't wait to feel tired to return to bed. Constant control of your own feelings will only add psychological pressure. Better to decide in advance how long you will be awake - say, 20 minutes - and stick to it. If you are back in bed and still cannot sleep, get up again.
Wake up at the same time in the morning
Yes, even on weekends. Sleep hygiene like this is good for everyone's health, and especially for those with insomnia. Regular waking hours, no matter how poorly you slept, will help your body switch to a healthier sleep pattern.
Do not sleep during the day
An afternoon nap disrupts your sleep cycle. Sometimes it tends to be sleepy, but in the long term, the destructive effect is the same as from the erratic waking time: the body ceases to perceive night sleep as an integral part of the program. Plus, if you sleep on a couch in the office, the bed-sleep association weakens.