High levels of anxiety and 'mind racing' is common whenever you are particularly stressed or there is a problem happening for you that your mind can't leave alone. Like a romantic breakup - or new meeting! Or divorce. This can lead to insomnia (very easily...).
Obviously, if your mind is racing and you are experiencing anxiety, it’s difficult to slow your mind enough to relax and go to sleep. Many people suffer from this daily, but they don’t have to. Learn a very simple deep-breathing/meditation - the simple and very easy 'Triome' exercise here works well.
Let’s be honest. In today’s society of instant gratification, get it done now and it can’t wait until tomorrow, it’s no wonder people have trouble sleeping.
When you think of insomnia, you think that it’s just not being able to fall asleep. In actuality, it’s much more than that. Your everyday activities are in direct relation to the quality of sleep you get each night.
You lay in bed, hoping to fall asleep. Counting sheep doesn’t work. You just can’t stop thinking about all the things on your to do lists. And it seems the harder you try to fall asleep, the longer you stay awake. Then you try turning on the television, thinking that will help. You toss and turn all night or wake at 1am and can’t go back to sleep. Some people even think that having a few cocktails before bed will help them sleep, when in actuality, alcohol disturbs your sleep pattern.
Does any of this sound familiar to you? Don’t feel alone. There have been points in my life - including right now! - that I have had trouble falling asleep. Times of 'change' emotionally when your mind needs to debrief what's going on and goes into overdrive to try and ensure you take/took the best action (for you). Therefore, I can relate and understand how frustrating it can be. You may even dread going to bed because you know what you are in for. You want to throw the alarm clock across the room because it’s waking you up when you feel like you just got to sleep. You feel like you are missing out on life because you feel like a walking zombie.
In other articles, we’ve talked about sleep being the time that your body regenerates and heals itself. If you aren’t sleeping, your body is suffering in more ways than one. It is imperative that you get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night. Your body will not only thank you, your mind will as well.
We all know there are medications your doctor can prescribe to help you sleep. But have you thought about what the medication is doing to your body? Have you heard the horror stories of people taking medication and finding out they have actually gotten up out of bed and left their home in the middle of the night? That’s a very scary thought. And that doesn’t include what it could be doing to your body that you don’t see. Lawyers are making huge amounts of money by suing pharmaceutical companies on behalf of clients that have taken medication and experienced awful side effects.
Insomnia and the anxiety and mind racing that comes with it really doesn’t have to require medication to cure. There are many natural alternatives that are much healthier for you. Journaling each night before you go to bed is a great start because it’s like you are releasing all your cares for the day. Learning to relax is imperative.
Check out my articles about meditation and simple breathing exercises that can help you cope with whatever it is that your mind is struggling with at the moment. Which reminds me (at 6am?!) I must re-read the Triome article myself and take an early morning walk on the beach and do some deep breathing of my own!
Here is the basic Triome (from Martin Guay of Healing Revealed)
Here’s a very easy breathing relaxation technique that will help you to relax in just 2 minutes. In Quebec we call it the Triôme!
Breathe in through the mouth and breathe out by the mouth also, 3 times slowly.
Breathe in through the mouth and breathe out through the nose 3 times slowly.
Breathe in through the nose and breathe out through the nose 3 times slowly.
Now breathe naturally and return your attention to your breathing. Preferably through the nose, but not necessarily. Do not attempt to control your breath. Become aware of the sensation of the breath as it enters and leaves the nostrils.
You can do this as long as you want - again 10 minutes is fine or up to 20 min is even better. The choice is always yours!
I often do this in bed to help me fall asleep (Martin!) I agree - it usually helps - if I'm in a really 'stimulated' phase though I have to do it to get off to sleep and each time I wake up?! Julie
Happy breathing!
Julie