Homegrown Methods to Help You Sleep After Losing a Loved One

by Dorothy Watson and Dr. Howard Chusid

Losing a loved one can alter a person’s appetite, reduce immune function, and cause serious problems with sleeplessness. During this difficult time, it’s important to get enough sleep and keep your body moving. Since sleep can be harder to come by while grieving, here are a few methods you can utilize to sleep better, presented below by The Helping Place, LLC/ PTSD Solutions Therapy

Create Bedroom Feng Shui

Feng Shui is a Chinese philosophy that draws on energy within your area as you create a layout that helps your life improve. Doing little things like adding blackout curtains to windows, moving your bed so light doesn’t shine on you, or simply turning down the thermostat a degree or two are all ways to organize your bedroom, according to Cur Laser.

 Change Your Location

It's not unusual to need to move after major losses, whether due to reduced income or just a need to move on. When making changes to your sleep environment, if you plan to list your home for sale soon, make changes with house hunters in mind. A coat of paint and other simple upgrades can also give your appraisal an important boost. Realtors are your best resource for these kinds of tips.

Change Your Sleeping Position

Chiropractors sometimes emphasize certain sleep positions, which have been shown to promote increased oxygen availability and support natural curvature of the neck and spine. Try out different positions to see if one can help you sleep better.

 Get More Support from Your Mattress

The physical support of mattresses isn’t the only thing to look out for. Over the years, mattresses can build up a serious supply of sweat, dead skin cells, and household allergens that can prevent you from getting enough sleep. Try different kinds of mattresses that will work best for your sleeping style. Some people do better with squishier mattresses, while other people prefer a firmer cushion.

Limit Caffeine

Track how much caffeine you consume in a day. Studies have shown that even when caffeine is consumed many hours before the normal sleeping time, it can still prevent restful sleep. Try to cut your caffeine intake in half, or at least by 25 percent. If you’re still struggling with sleep, try cutting back even more.

Make a Sleep Schedule

An important part of any sleep schedule is doing it at the same time over and over again. We have a lot of habits. Going to sleep at the same time every night and following a similar bedtime ritual can help you set your body’s natural clock to work normally. Pick a time that works best for you, and then stick to it.

 Avoid Nightcaps

The Sleep Doctor points out that alcohol can change your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. That means while your nightly glass of wine might help you wind down, it can disrupt your sleep. Try to wind down through other routines, whether it’s through meditation or reading a calming book.

 Cut Extra Fat and Sugar

Besides disrupting your natural sleep routine, studies indicate that sleeping poorly can cause you to crave unhealthy foods the following day as well. Try to replace cravings with a nutritious and tasty snack. Stay hydrated as well to help yourself curb unhealthy cravings. Eating excess fat and sugar can be a vicious, self-perpetuating cycle, so be careful.

 Exercise for at Least 30 Minutes

Exercising is a natural way to reduce stress and increase body temperature and metabolic rate. When this is done a number of hours before bed, it’s a natural way to transition into a restful state and prepare for bed. Try to get some kind of regular exercise: walking, weightlifting, dancing, or anything else that gets your heart pumping, is a good option. When it’s time to wind-down, you can try these simple yoga moves that have been shown to help with falling asleep too.

 Seek Out Professional Counseling

Being open to loving others, means we often have to deal with grief and loss. The fact that this is a natural part of life doesn’t necessarily make it easier, though. If your grief is preventing you from sleeping, which in turn is making it difficult to live your life, you should consider talking to someone. You can even do so from the comfort and privacy of your own home, if you're open to receiving therapy online. The Helping Place, LLC and PTSD Solutions Therapy offer online Therapy.

There are a lot of strategies to help you sleep better. Using Feng Shui, exercising, and eating healthy are just a few. Grief is a difficult situation to work through, but you can still find meaning in life and move forward. Give it time and get some rest.

The Helping Place,LLC/ PTSDSolutionsTherapy located in Hallandale and Coral Springs, Florida is a counseling center for children, adolescents, and adults offering individual and family mental health services. Call 954-455-0388. Counselingfl@gmail.com or PTSDSolutionsTherapy@gmail.com  Our web sites are TheHelpingPlacefl.com or PTSDSolutionsTherapy.com

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