The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc

😴 Helping you sleep with practical, proven methods
🙋🏻‍♀️ Journalist, ex-insomniac, sleep author, speaker
aka @dianermacedo 👇 Get my FREE sleep diary here

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

If being awake means you get to do something enjoyable and relaxing then it doesn’t seem so bad.

And the more relaxed we are about being awake the easier it is to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Tell me your favorite relaxing activity in the comments! 👇🏼

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

Doing boring things in order to sleep? No thank you!

If boredom frustrates you it’ll just make your insomnia worse — and even if it works in the moment it still complicates things!

Here’s why: part of what fuels insomnia is our fear of not sleeping.

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

If you start associating being awake at night with having to do something boring, you have another reason to fear being awake.

You start thinking “I hope I can fall asleep or I’ll have to do that boring thing again".

This thought process is powerful at keeping us awake.

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

That's why I highly recommend addressing the root cause of your sleep problems whenever possible with evidence-based solutions.

This allows you to actually fix your sleep issues instead of just masking them.

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

Are you considering using sleeping pills to help you fall asleep or stay asleep?

Here's the thing...

If you feel like you regularly need a sleep aid or supplement to help you fall asleep or stay asleep, that's a sign of a problem.

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

Sleeping pills are kind of like crutches. They might help you in the short run, but they're not a long-term fix.

Sleeping pills also come with their own risks and their effects often wear off over time.

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

So, packing your schedule with things you feel you have to do to sleep is not a good idea - you're giving yourself a to-do list.

Instead, do things that you find enjoyable and relaxing. This works better because the more relaxed you are, the easier it is for you to fall asleep.

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

What if I told you that doing something boring at bedtime can actually make your sleep worse?!

Here's the thing...

While boredom can facilitate sleep, it can also breed frustration.

And frustration triggers your fight-or-flight response — which fuels insomnia.

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

The next step might be as simple as calling a friend to ask for advice or doing some research on the topic.

If your worry has no next step, maybe it’s something completely out of your control, then the next step is to accept and move on. Write that down too.

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

This simple writing exercise can help rewire your brain to stop stressing in bed and help you fall asleep faster!

Here's how to go about it in 3 simple steps.

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

1. Take a notebook, and draw a line down the center of the page.
2. On the left, jot down any concerns that come to mind.
3. On the right, write down the very next step to fixing that problem.

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

Have you ever woken up... unsure whether or not you slept at all?

Or have you ever thought you were awake for days?

This has to do with how insomnia affects our brains — making time asleep, FEEL like time awake.

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

Most sleep advice is for people who don't spend enough time in bed or sleep fine but want to sleep even better.

But if you go to bed and take forever to fall asleep or wake up in the middle of the night and can't fall back asleep you need very different advice!

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

Here's something most sleep experts won't tell you:

Saying something is good for sleep doesn't always mean it's good for YOUR sleep.

That's why generic sleep advice can be so problematic if you're an insomniac.

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

What's holding you back from getting the sleep you need?

Comment with your biggest sleep obstacle, so we can chat about how to fix it!

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

Five reasons you might be waking up in the middle of the night:

Body temperature spikes,
A circadian rhythm issue,
Blood sugar spikes,
Stress or insomnia,
Sleep apnea.

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

I bet you heard that as humans, we sleep through the night but the truth is nobody does.

We sleep in 90-minute cycles and wake up between them.

I like to call these safety checks. We scan our surroundings to see if anything’s changed and if all looks well, we go back to sleep.

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

Gotta love the trip down cringey memory lane just as you're trying to fall asleep... 🤦‍♀️

Like this post if you've been there!

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

Did you know this sleep myth?

The truth is sleep need is unique to each person, kind of like determining how much food you need to feel full.

So 8 hours of sleep per night could be too much or too little for you.

[The Sleep Fix | Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work, Etc @SleepFixMethod]

HOT TIP

Warming up your hands or feet can help you fall asleep faster

It tricks the body into thinking you’re in a warm environment, which sends blood away from the core to the skin… that lowers core temp and aids the process of falling asleep.