Getting the Appropriate Amount of Rest & Relaxation

Do you get a good night’s rest? Chances are that if you are struggling with your mood you may not be getting enough rest. What we have learned as clinicians is that when we are not rested, we are not giving the body and mind a chance to regenerate. Now some people will say that they don’t need more sleep because they are already getting enough. Yet when I ask how long it takes for them to fall asleep, or if they can sleep through the night, this is a problem.

Many people report needing a half-hour or more from first laying down to then falling asleep (in fact, many clients have told me they cannot fall asleep within an hour). Others note it not being as challenging to fall asleep but they wake up numerous times throughout the night and have difficulty then getting back to sleep. Now, if you tell me you are giving yourself 8 hours a night to sleep but then having these difficulties, clearly this is not enough rest.

What is happening that keeps you up? Many will report unresolved issues, such as thinking about what they did or were not able to accomplish during the day, as well as worrying about what they will do tomorrow (or at some later time). These thoughts seem to command attention and mind-space, which is definitely going to impact sleep. So what do we do?

First of all, give credence to whatever it is that is occupying your mind. Maybe make a list of what you are thinking about and need to do, or even journal out the thoughts that keep coming up. In this way, you can remind yourself that you have already focused on the thoughts. You can even make a “worry box,” where you write these things out and can later come back to them when you are refreshed and able to address them – late at night, when we have already had a long day, is not the best time.

Take a closer look at sleep time. What are you doing to welcome it? By this I mean we need to get ourselves ready by slowing down our minds and bodies and getting ready to rest. You can do this by doing some deep-breathing and imagining yourself in a calming place (like the beach, with the splash of the waves, the salt-water air and warmth on your body). Make this time about welcoming rest. Make it about sleep.

Stuart A. Kaplowitz, MFT
12540 10th Str
Chino, Ca 91710
www.encouragingyourlife.com