Insomnia

Every night, bedtime arrives. An unsettled feeling would come over my body. Will tonight be a good night or a bad night's sleep? Even in my days when I was hopeful, inevitably, 2:30 or 3 am rolls around, and I am awake. There were days when I was so desperate for sleep that I thought if only I could take something to make me sleep, I would feel so much better.

I used to be an amazing sleeper. It was one of my favorite things to do. It was after a period of anxiety in my life when insomnia became a bad friend that kept coming around. I was not the only one who struggled. Many of my patients would come in struggling with insomnia. A woman in her late forties came into my office. She looked haggard with dark circles under her eyes. Desperate, she told me that she had not slept more than 4 hours a night for years and needed help. 

If you are experiencing something similar in your own life, you have come to the right place. I do not promise a cure for insomnia, but I promise to give you healthy steps towards healing. With each of my wellness posts, I will include both a physical and a spiritual component in my suggestions, as we are both physical and spiritual beings.

Insomnia can be placed into two categories: acute and chronic. In acute stressful situations, our bodies can remain in a fight-or-flight mode. A sickness, an argument with a coworker or family member, or other stressful situations, but as soon as the problem is over, you go back to your regular sleeping pattern. Chronic insomnia occurs when a fitful sleep transitions into a more habitual cycle.

Insomnia as a condition will not kill you. However, a lack of restorative rest can have lasting effects on the physical body and mental health.

So, what can be done?

First Step

1. Go to your doctor. There are many medical reasons for insomnia (like magnesium deficiency, sleep apnea, vitamin B deficiency, hormonal changes, and many more). Please discuss your typical sleep patterns with your doctor, and they can help you develop a personalized treatment plan. A caution to my readers: There is a place and time to take sleep aid medications that your doctor could prescribe. Many medications have various side effects that can make it difficult for you to concentrate during the day, and are highly addictive. Discuss with your doctor which plan works best for your situation.

2. Sleep training- Speak to your doctor about what is involved with sleep training to rewire your brain from your current sleep patterns.

Non-Medical Physical Suggestions

Warning: All of these require consistent effort to yield results, but they are beneficial for overall health.

1. Exercise 30 mins daily - this allows the body to release the stress hormones of the day.

   
   

2. Ultraviolet therapy- this is used both for depression and insomnia. It is important to get sunlight in the morning or mid-morning to help your circadian rhythm properly orient your body to a good sleep-wake cycle. UV light activates this cycle and helps your body naturally know when it is time to be awake and asleep

   
   

3. 30-minute wind down- This is a hard one to make a habit of in our digital realm, but what does it look like for you to create a routine that involves 30 minutes of wind-down time that does not include phones, TVs, or computer screens? If you like to have noise in the background, think of purchasing a sound machine instead of using your TV. Place your cell phone at a distance that is farther away so it is harder to access in the middle of the night when you wake up.

   
   

4. Eating and drinking habits- Eating saturated fats and high sugar content, drinking coffee after 12 pm, drinking too much water or alcohol before bed can lead to a fitful night’s sleep. This tip is one of the hardest to implement because, just like anything else, habits are hard to break, but can be very beneficial for overall health.

   
   

5. Turn the clock around- Don’t have a clock right in your face, because it can cause more anxiety to you the longer you are awake. 

   
   

6. Deep breathing exercises- decrease heart rate and stimulate the vagus nerve to place you in a less anxious state

   
   

7. Change positions- If you have been in your bed for more than 15 minutes, change your position, like put your head at the bottom of the bed, or find another location to sleep.

   
   

8. Journal- if you have circular thoughts- get up, write them down, and then go back to bed.

Spiritually 

In our lives, we go through different seasons of brokenness: a lost job, the loss of a spouse, a difficult diagnosis, or challenging family or work situations. Our house needs regular maintenance to run properly, so do our minds. Often, our lives are so busy that we don't give ourselves time to process our thoughts and feelings.

1. Evaluating our thoughts- What we put into our minds may be just as important or even more so than what we take out. Meditation and clearing our minds of thoughts that are not appropriate are beneficial. We are to take our thoughts captive and give them to the Lord, but then what are you filling your mind with during the day? (2 Cor 10:5) Violence, sexual content online or in movies, relational angst online or in your home? The reality is that we cannot live in a bubble and sing 'comb by ya'. Living our lives does not just make our bodies dirty, but also our minds. Going to Jesus in prayer, surrendering all of life’s worries, and asking him to wash you clean from the yuck that was in your day is a healthy way to reset your mind for the night.  Take 10 minutes to take stock of the different emotions you experience throughout your day. Give those feelings of inadequacy, anger, or injustice to the Lord.

   
   

Insomnia can sometimes feel like a battle. Many battles are faced in the night in the dark. We can trust in the Lord, knowing that while we are resting, He is fighting for us. Before David faced his giant, he said, “And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” (1 Sam 17:47 NIV). God will fight for you, and he will work all things out for your good. (Rom 8:28) Hold on to these promises as you sleep.

Patricia King stated in a recent post, “Rest is not weakness- it’s a weapon. When we choose to rest in God’s presence, we declare the battle belongs to Him and not us. The enemy thrives on chaos, striving, and exhaustion, but rest anchors us in trust, peace, and confidence in God’s victory.”

2. Speak scripture to yourself- Before I go to sleep, I like to say Psalm 4:8, “In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, Lord have me dwell in safety.  Many other verses are also helpful; choose one or two that mean the most to you.

   
   

3. Listen to the Psalms- The You Version is a free Bible app that has a play button for many versions, allowing you to listen to the Bible read to you. Listening to the psalms can be calming.

   
   

4. The Abide App- I am not affiliated in any way with the Abide app, but these are guided biblical meditations that are scripturally based and intended to help you renew your mind as you go to sleep.

   
   

My prayer for you is that you get the help you need, both physically and spiritually, to have a successful night’s sleep. Blessings on your rest.

This is the current AASM (American Academy of Sleep Medicine) Guidelines

https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/10.5664/jcsm.27286