Sleep Routines and Hygiene

Without getting proper sleep, we are unable to regulate meaning we are not going to be in control of our emotional state and henceforth unable to cope with anything life sends our way.  When anxiety is mounting, sleep becomes one of the first “basic needs” to be abandoned.  To avoid sleep deprivation, we need to practice good sleep hygiene, and no I am not implying that we need to be clean to sleep.  We need to establish a healthy routine that will allow us to get to sleep and stay asleep.  We need sunshine during the day to promote melatonin production, which will help regulate our sleep cycle.  We need to set a time to turn off the electronic devices even if it requires setting a “hard boundary” with ourselves that allows time for our neurological system to shift.  After allowing our neurological system to shift, it is time to create a safe and calm place for our mind and body.  For those that have used tapping with the safe and calm place imagery, this is easy to imagine.  For others, you may be confused.  If you have never imagined yourself in a safe or calm place, simply search “guided imagery” on Youtube.com for resources.  Hopefully, once our body is producing melatonin, we have shut down the voices in our electronic devices, and we have calmed our mind and body, we will all be able to get the sleep we need to remain in or regain a regulated state.