How to sleep well while nervous, in 7 tips
Anxiety and stress can become serious obstacles to falling asleep.
Stress and anxiety are part of a group of psychological and physiological phenomena that affect our health in a very negative way, and through different "chain effects". One of the areas of life in which being nervous is most detrimental to our quality of sleep, i.e. our ability to repair ourselves and regain energy through rest.
In the following lines we will review several tips related precisely to how to sleep well while nervousAlthough it should be clear that many of these steps to follow involve acting long before going to bed.
Tips: how to sleep while nervous
The following tips are based on the assumption that you have little time before going to bed. However, you should keep in mind that there are several factors that, if implemented on a day-to-day basis and not necessarily at the end of your day, can help you help you to have a greater predisposition to fall asleep, regardless of whether or not you experience whether or not you experience anxiety and stress.
For example, keeping a regular and constant sleep schedule is very important to make the most of the time dedicated to rest. On the other hand, eating well helps you sleep well, since malnutrition facilitates the appearance of inflammatory processes that make it difficult to sleep. That said, let's move on to the tips.
1. Exercise, but hours before going to bed.
Exercise is very good for releasing tension, on the one hand, and for making our focus of attention "disengage" from those thoughts that keep us worried, on the other. That is why moderate sports practice is a resource to be taken into account..
However, it is very important that you do not exercise a few hours before going to bed, as this will not only not make things easier for you, but will also make it difficult for you to fall asleep. The ideal is to do that exercise session at least five hours before going to sleep.
2. Take a night shower
The simple act of taking a shower about half an hour before going to bed can help you relax.
Although the mechanism by which this habit works to fall asleep is not very well known, it is believed that it has to do with the fact of performing a task that has already been internalized by force of repeating it several times and that is performed in an environment in which monotony and predictability prevail, both by auditory and tactile means. This makes the shower become a kind of ritual that can lead us to a trance-like state, in which we "disconnectin which we "disconnect" from everything.
3. Avoid stimulants
If you feel that the state of nervousness dominates you and can give you problems to fall asleep, keep in mind that the problem can worsen if you also consume stimulants. can worsen if you also consume stimulants such as coffee or any other product with caffeine. or any other product with caffeine or similar. Avoid these foods or drinks.
4. Do not stuff yourself with food before going to sleep.
Another problem related to the lack of sleep that comes with anxiety and stress is the fact that many people, feeling nervous, try to feel better by bingeing on food, try to make themselves feel better by bingeing on food.. This makes digestion more complicated, which delays the time when you can start sleeping.
5. Do not expose yourself to the light of the screens in the evening.
One of the habits that have become more popular with the adoption of the use of new technologies is the use of computers, tablets and smartphones in the evening, when almost everyone has finished working or attending class and can connect. This is a bad idea if you experience sleep problems, because the eye's exposure to light late at night disrupts circadian rhythmswhich makes the body not quite sure if it is daytime or not.
6. Practice relaxation techniques
This is a classic tip to combat anxiety and nervousness. There are several exercises that contribute to the body's hormonal re-modulation to lower the nervous system's alertness. to lower the nervous system's state of alertness. Many of them focus on better management of the way you breathe.
7. Use white noise
White noise helps to disconnect, and can be used at the same time you are lying in bed. For example, the sound of rain or the crackling of a fire in the fireplace can be very relaxing, as long as the volume is not too high. Ideally use long recordings, so that they last until after you have gone to sleep.
(Updated at Apr 12 / 2024)