I have anywhere between 1-5 nights of insomnia per month and have had insomnia for many years, plus frequent nightmares.
Now, since I love my sleep, I have developed multiple coping skills to fall asleep even when I have insomnia. These are my go-to methods.
Keep reading for 15 insomnia coping skills to help you get some rest:
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1. Keep cold water by your bedside to drink.
Photo of drinking water by Brendan Church via Unsplash.com
I love keeping a glass of cold water by my bedside at night. You can buy a bedside carafe if you want more of an aesthetic look, but any glass or cup of water will do!
The cold temperature of the water is both soothing and calming when trying to fall asleep, plus especially helpful for those times when you wake up in the middle of the night. A quick sip of cool water, and back to sleep you go.
2. Try bedtime yoga poses to combat insomnia.
Yoga poses for better sleep via The Deep Sleep Co.
Sometimes built-up tension in our body from stress and anxiety can make our body too uncomfortable and wound up to sleep. Looking for insomnia relief? Try the above yoga poses before bed, and notice how your body is more ready for a well-rested night’s sleep.
3. Wipe your face and body down with a cool/cold wet washcloth. Bonus if you can take a hot Epsom salt bath to relax your muscles and mind.
Via Pinterest
This is a trick I learned from my mother who learned it from her mother (shout out to my Irish roots). Using a cool washcloth to wipe your body down is a great way to refresh and calm your body. For bonus points, you can fold a wet or damp washcloth and lay it over your eyes and forehead for head relief.
4. Limit screen time before bed to limit your blue light exposure.
Photo via The Everygirl
Blue light exposure has been shown to sometimes disrupt your sleep patterns and ability to fall asleep. Try no screen time for 15 minutes before bed, then 20, then 30, and see how your body reacts. This may be the key to you getting more sleep and experiencing fewer insomnia-filled nights.
5. Use a low engagement/calming-for-you app before bed (which is especially useful for slowing down and calming anxious thoughts).
If you, like me, find your mind swarming with anxious thoughts at night, where it feels like your brain is running on an insomnia treadmill when you’re trying to sleep and wind down, this one is for you.
For me, even considering the blue light, using a calming app where I don’t message people, and keeping my phone on low brightness before bed, really helps me sleep. Plus, it calms my mind and takes my brain off of the insomnia treadmill.
6. Practice bedtime meditation/deep breath exercises.
Photo via Yoga Next Door
Bedtime meditation and breathing exercises, whether guided by an app or YouTube channel or not, can help ground and center you for a more restful sleep. Oftentimes, meditating before bed can lead to you feeling extra refreshed the next morning, since both your body and mind have had time to recharge and rest.
7. Drink sleepy-time decaf tea or chamomile tea (which is one of my personal favorites).
Photo via @marcelailustra
Building good bedtime hygiene means building a routine that your body will recognize as your bedtime routine, and in turn your body will automatically learn to become tired and ready for bed when the bedtime routine starts.
If you, like me, enjoy watching your favorite movie or series before bed, then tea is a fantastic late-night drink to assist with your bedtime routine. Reference the above graphic by @marcelailustra to find a tea that works for your needs.
8. Write a list of what to do tomorrow so you don’t have to think of it tonight (and you can relax knowing you’re not forgetting anything).
Sometimes I aggrandize my to-do lists in my head, making them seem even bigger and daunting in my imagination. By writing them down, it can feel like pinning down the bogeyman. Not so scary when you can see all of it.
I recommend using the ATSO Mental Health Friendly Weekly Planner I designed and customized to be mental health-friendly over the years with the help of multiple psychologists. By breaking the to-do list into prioritized sections, it makes the tasks seem more achievable. You can have more dopamine from crossing off A list tasks that need to be done today or this week since they are higher priority. And if you don’t get to all of the B and/or C lists, that’s okay! You still have time for those tasks.
9. Put on a fresh pillowcase.
Satin pillowcase via Kitsch, Ulta
This trick is especially helpful for when you want fresh sheets, but don’t have the energy to make the entire bed. The fresh pillowcase will feel cool and refreshing on your skin, and bonus, changing your pillowcase frequently is better for your skin. Bonus points if it is a silk or satin pillowcase which is even better for your skin and hair.
10. Try sleep aromatherapy (lavender and eucalyptus really help me).
Photo of Himalayan salt aromatherapy diffuser via Apollo Box’s Home Décor & Gifts
An aromatherapy diffuser and/or humidifier like the one pictured above are a great investment to make if you experience monthly insomnia as I do. The sense of smell is a powerful sense, and some scents help trigger certain results and reactions in the body.
Certain scents like lavender and eucalyptus can be calming plus create an atmosphere that helps you sleep and reduces your monthly insomnia.
11. Get out of bed, do something else, and try to sleep again in 30 minutes. Think of it as a fresh start to sleep.
Photo via Buzzfeed
Bake some cookies, clean the dishes, read a book, or even watch an episode of your favorite series. Think of it as a fresh at-bat like in baseball. When you strike out, it can be extremely frustrating, and that frustration can make it even harder for you to accomplish your goal, which in this case, is sleep.
So take a break, and when you come back to bed, you will have a fresh start and a fresh mindset.
12. Put on a calming-for-you noise, music, or tv as background noise.
Photo of Star
Projector, Remote Control &
White Noise Bluetooth Speaker via Walmart.
Creating an environment where you can more easily fall asleep is extremely helpful when it comes to falling asleep with insomnia. Sound machines or apps can take this to the next level, and I suggest playing around with different sounds.
For some, nature sounds are best, or the sound of a crackling fire, white noise, green noise, or even pink noise! Find what works best for you, and remember that you have options.
13. Declutter your space and declutter your mind (plus get bonus dopamine and serotonin from completing some cleaning).
Photo via My Home Based Life
Cleaning your space can feel like cleaning your mind. When you are done cleaning and tidying up, you will have the dopamine and serotonin from completing these tasks to help you sleep. Your space will feel clearer, your mind will feel clearer, and you can wake up the next day to a nice clean space.
Even if it’s only tidying up one small space, try this insomnia hack for some relief.
14. Eat a snack, you may be hungry! A banana is my favorite go-to when I can’t sleep since bananas are a natural sleep aid.
Photo of bananas via Oh She Glows
If I’m hungry when I try to sleep, it can feel like my stomach is yelling at me the whole time, complaining about how it needs food. So a snack before bed can help keep your stomach quiet so your mind can quiet down and sleep.
Bananas are great for this insomnia hack because bananas are a natural sleep aid. So if you experience frequent insomnia, be sure to add bananas to your grocery list.
15. If all else fails, don’t beat yourself up about it. It’s not your fault.
Graphic by ATSO
If after 3-4 hours of trying to sleep with no success, stay up and take advantage of the time to do WHATEVER you want to do. From personal experience, I do this sometimes, take an optional hour nap the next day, and go to bed early the next night, nice and tired for an amazing night’s sleep. Use the insomnia to your advantage.
Thank you for reading, and here’s to us all getting some sleep and relief from our insomnia!
Always yours,
Sara, ATSO
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