subject: Can't Sleep? Cure Your Insomnia With One Simple Trick [print this page] In my experience as a sleep therapist, I have noticed that many insomnia problems start when the patient is spending a longer than usual amount of time in bed. Students, retired people and the unemployed all have higher than normal levels of insomnia. And most long-term insomniacs, report that their sleeping difficulties started at a time in their life when they had no reason to get up early in the morning. If you regularly spend more that 8 or 9 hours in bed (including weekends), you could halt an early case of insomnia in 2-3 nights by making one small change to your behaviour.
So what is the gem of advice? Spend less time in bed.
"Is that it?" I hear you cry, "that's never going to work!"
But wait...before you move, on let me explain:
Every time you go to bed, it is essential that you are actually tired. The longer you lie in bed without sleeping, and the more often that this happens, the more you weaken your 'falling asleep response'. If you lie in bed, dozing in the morning, you are unlikely to be tired at bedtime. And if you go to bed simply 'because it's late' rather than because you are actually sleepy, it is hardly surprising that you do not fall asleep straight away.
The truth is that research shows that the simple act of cutting the time spent in bed by an hour or more can have a profound effect on your sleeping patterns.
Start by reducing the time spent in bed by half an hour. If there is no effect after a few days, reduce the time by another half an hour.
Cutting the time spent in bed won't work for everyone. Those with a more serious problem will need to take other action such as seeing a sleep therapist or starting an online sleep recovery programme. But even if you do have a long-term problem, if you haven't yet tried this one trick then I urge you to do so before you try anything else.
Can't Sleep? Cure Your Insomnia With One Simple Trick
