If You Struggle with Sleep

To increase the likelihood of restful sleep:

1. Follow a consistent sleep schedule, even on the weekends. Avoid napping, as you will need to be tired to help adhere to your schedule when bedtime comes. Restricting sleep until your designated window will help train your body to maximize the opportunity to sleep.

2. Use your bed only for sleeping. Via classical conditioning, you want your mind to associate being in bed with the initiation of sleep; you want to avoid having your mind pair being in bed with watching t.v., struggling to fall asleep, or other activities.

3. Avoid caffeine, nicotine, alcohol heavy meal, and exercise late in the day.

4. When prepared to sleep, turn off all lights, keep the room quiet, and keep it relatively cool. Aids like sleeping masks, earplugs, and 'white noise' machines can be helpful. A drop in temperature, such as via exiting the shower, can help with sleep initiation.

5. Give yourself 30 minutes to fall asleep. If you don't, evaluate whether your emotional and mental state is appropriate for sleeping.

6. Try to avoid catastrophizing difficulty falling asleep. Panicked thoughts regarding how tired you might be the next day will only delay sleep further. Remind yourself that rest and reverie also help your brain, even if you are not asleep. Avoid giving up on sleep and getting up for the 'day'.

7. If you are calm, but wide awake, get out of bed, go to another location, and read or engage in some other restful activity. Return to bed when you feel another wave of sleepiness and repeat step #5. Consider a light snack.

8. If, however, you are anxious, obsessing, or ruminating, considering trying to relax your mind and body. Or, try the worry time technique and 'worry productively' until the urge to sleep returns: https://www.johnrapplcsw.com/post/dealing-with-worry

9. If all else fails, try listening to a podcast or the radio with your eyes closed and at low volume. Aim for media which has little fluctuation in volume and tone of voice.

From DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, Second Edition, by Marsha M. Linehan.