Sleep-related problems such as insomnia are common especially among young people who are trying to shape their career paths. There are so many variables in the current job market, and more than ever millennials find themselves always worried about their future.
Globalization has brought with it the anxiety that your job might be outsourced tomorrow to a cheaper overseas labor market. There is always something that makes you feel stressed. Work related deadlines, performance appraisals, redundancy, office politics, social life.. the list is endless.
All these seemingly mundane worries build up, and before you realize, you are spending hours upon hours tossing and turning in your bed when you should be getting the much-needed rest you deserve. The direct result of your sleepless nights is you end up being unproductive at work, and this further increases your restlessness.
This vicious circle of anxiety can invariably lead to complete burnout if not corrected in due course. Overwhelming exhaustion also comes with more than its fair share of related health problems both psychologically and physically. Sleep is, therefore, one of the most important ways that your whole body rejuvenates.
Without enough sleep, a person becomes irritable and unhappy. This not only affects how you perform at work but also your personal relationships with your colleagues and other people who matter in your life.
There is a lot of information provided on how to overcome sleep problems. The web itself is awash with numerous solutions some of which involve medication. Before you get to that extreme point where you need prescription drugs, there are some ways you can adjust your lifestyle and achieve the rest your body needs.
Below are some of the tried and tested methods that can significantly help you wind down after a stressful day.
Drain Your Brain
Just like a powered computer, your brain constantly processes random information subconsciously. You may find yourself thinking about irrelevant things that happened during the day or worrying about inconsequential events planned for the following day.
These thoughts occupy a substantial part of your active memory and need to be emptied in the same manner you would remove clutter from your computer’s recycle bin.
Since no single click would perform the said task with machine efficiency, make use of a notebook to write down the various issues that pop up in your head. That way you’ll be secure in the knowledge that you have put them down somewhere you can always access whenever the need arises.
Form Transition Habits
The brain happens to be extremely adept at learning patterns. You should, therefore, follow some easy-to-do routines before you get to bed such as taking a bath, light breathing exercises or even journaling.
The more you make this a habit, the more your brain codes such activities as the signal to wind down. Of course, the activities should be those that exert the least stress on your body so you can power down naturally.
Avoid The News And Any Other Distractions
Your bedroom ought to be a place solely dedicated to resting. Unfortunately, most people carry their tech gadgets to bed, be they smartphones, tablets or laptops. You may find yourself peeking to check the latest news or answering texts and emails.
Some of the news coming through may be alarming while communication with your friends might cause you unnecessary anxiety. Switch off all your devices or leave them in your living room. Make this habitual and people who need to talk to you during odd hours will come to terms with respecting your nap times.
Compartmentalize Your Activities
That means you should come up with clear boundaries between your various day to day activities. Most sleep therapists recommend that you should never carry your work home.
This is however quite hard to accomplish since you may be facing a deadline at work sometimes – and the only way to complete the task is by finishing it up at home. You can, however, work on coming up with buffer periods in between your job-related activities and sleeping time.
During the buffer time, engage in relaxing activities such as yoga. This will help you wind down to your sleeping mood.