Best Life Therapy Blogs - Grief, Anxiety, Stress & More
- posted: Feb. 08, 2025
Most people are probably familiar with the term insomnia. Many of us at some point in time have experienced some trouble with falling or staying asleep. Sometimes people fall asleep just fine but wake up numerous times throughout the night and can't get back to sleep. Insomnia can be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term problem). An occasional lack of sleep is not a problem; however, chronic sleep challenges can significantly impact a person's life. We classify insomnia as primary or secondary depending upon weather there are other conditions or circumstances are involved. Sometimes difficulty with sleep just happens as in the case of primary insomnia and other times, there are factors contributing to sleep difficulties. Some evidence suggests that a long pattern of sleep difficulties can be a risk factor setting us up for other health issues such as Alzheimer's, Heart Disease and Stroke. It can also lead to obesity, depression, diabetes and high blood pressure.
There are many causes of insomnia including hormonal changes such as pregnancy and menopause, aging, psychological factors such as stress, rumination and worry. Environmental factors like an uncomfortable bed or noises you might hear could impact sleep. Excessive caffeine, alcohol consumption and smoking also contribute to insomnia. Certain medications can impact our sleep including stimulants and more. People who work in settings that require them to work many different shifts, are not able to remain consistent with a sleep schedule. They are also at risk for insomnia because of the shift work. Sometimes physical causes related to medical conditions can wake us up at night such as an achy shoulder or some other pain. Genetics also can play a role in sleep difficulties.
Regardless of the cause, it's always a good idea to let your primary care doctor know if you're struggling with sleep on a regular basis. Sometimes there could be medical issues impacting your ability to rest so it's important for a doctor make sure there is nothing else going on. In severe cases of insomnia, doctors might prescribe medication. Maybe people self-prescribe to remedy the situation with things such as melatonin or magnesium. It's always best to check with your primary care doctor to be sure it's safe for you to take that. Your doctor might want you to see a specialist to rule out other health related issues.
It's a good idea to try natural things to help insomnia. There are some basic sleep guidelines that just might help. This may be as simple as a cup of chamomile tea before bed, going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, dimming your lights in the evening and reducing your exposure to electronics a few hours before bed. If you are reading on your tablet or watching TV at night, try using blue light filters. It is best to avoid working in your bedroom, so your brain is more likely to associate the space with rest. Dark curtains can help block out any streetlights at night or sunlight during the day if you're a shift worker who needs to sleep during the day. Avoiding intense physical activity before bed can help. It's also best to try to avoid engaging in other activities that are over-stimulating for our brains at least 2 hours before bed.
Sometimes it's our worries that can keep us awake. When we are overwhelmed and have too much to do, it's not uncommon for people to ruminate over a to do list. People spend time lying in bed thinking about the past and the future often times focusing on all the things they have no control over. Sometimes we worry about our children, relationships and work stress. The list of things that people commonly lay awake in bed at night really is endless.
Have you wondered if therapy could help with your insomnia? It can! Cognitive Behavior Therapy, CBT, is an evidenced-based treatment modality that is shown to be effective for insomnia? It focuses on identifying our irrational and negative thoughts, learning to identify thinking errors and reframing those irrational thoughts with ones that are more rationale. Clients who participate in therapy can learn to challenge those worries and begin to reframe those thoughts independently. The results of CBT can be twice as powerful when we practice reframing those thoughts on paper.
Many people will look at the clock in the middle of the night and think about how terrible they are going to feel the next day. That worry makes it even more difficult to go back to sleep. It's better to pause those thoughts and think about the fact that lots of people lose sleep at night once and awhile and they are just fine. You've probably lost sleep at night before and you were fine. You might feel a bit sluggish the next day, but we can survive it. If you have the luxury of getting up when the sun is out, a simple way to manage that worry is by not looking at the clock. Just begin thinking, "the sun isn't up so it does not matter what time it is. It's not time to get up." Sometimes we need to roll back over and reframe those worries. It's helpful to then use some relaxation strategies such as deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation. Avoid looking at the clock to see what time it is especially if it causes you to be anxious. For many people, the clock is our phone which is just another distraction that can keep us awake at night. Mindless scrolling might make you sleepy, but it also causes our brain activity to increase making a restful night's sleep even more difficult.
Sometimes having someone to talk to about your sleep difficulties and focus on some problem-solving around your stressors can help. Having a safe space to unpack some of that stress does wonders for anxiety and worries. Clients can learn some very effective relaxation strategies when they participate in therapy. If you feel like you need some assistance to help you get a peaceful night's rest, reach out to Best Life Therapy. New patients can schedule their first appointment online on the first page of this website. Just click the request an appointment link to see available days and times. Best Life Therapy is hiring. We plan to have more available times soon as we add more clinicians to better serve you. If you request an appointment online and don't see a time that works for you, email the owner and CEO of the clinic, Vicky Alvarez at [email protected] and be share to share your appointment needs. We might be able to add time to our schedules to assist you. We are truly committed to helping clients live their best life and would be happy to help you with that. Sleep well and if you don't, remember that we are hear for you. We look forward to seeing you soon!
- posted: Feb. 08, 2025
Most people are probably familiar with the term insomnia. Many of us at some point in time have experienced some trouble with falling or staying asleep. Sometimes people fall asleep just fine but wake up numerous times throughout the night and can't get back to sleep. Insomnia can be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term problem). An occasional lack of sleep is not a problem; however, chronic sleep challenges can significantly impact a person's life. We classify insomnia as primary or secondary depending upon weather there are other conditions or circumstances are involved. Sometimes difficulty with sleep just happens as in the case of primary insomnia and other times, there are factors contributing to sleep difficulties. Some evidence suggests that a long pattern of sleep difficulties can be a risk factor setting us up for other health issues such as Alzheimer's, Heart Disease and Stroke. It can also lead to obesity, depression, diabetes and high blood pressure.
There are many causes of insomnia including hormonal changes such as pregnancy and menopause, aging, psychological factors such as stress, rumination and worry. Environmental factors like an uncomfortable bed or noises you might hear could impact sleep. Excessive caffeine, alcohol consumption and smoking also contribute to insomnia. Certain medications can impact our sleep including stimulants and more. People who work in settings that require them to work many different shifts, are not able to remain consistent with a sleep schedule. They are also at risk for insomnia because of the shift work. Sometimes physical causes related to medical conditions can wake us up at night such as an achy shoulder or some other pain. Genetics also can play a role in sleep difficulties.
Regardless of the cause, it's always a good idea to let your primary care doctor know if you're struggling with sleep on a regular basis. Sometimes there could be medical issues impacting your ability to rest so it's important for a doctor make sure there is nothing else going on. In severe cases of insomnia, doctors might prescribe medication. Maybe people self-prescribe to remedy the situation with things such as melatonin or magnesium. It's always best to check with your primary care doctor to be sure it's safe for you to take that. Your doctor might want you to see a specialist to rule out other health related issues.
It's a good idea to try natural things to help insomnia. There are some basic sleep guidelines that just might help. This may be as simple as a cup of chamomile tea before bed, going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, dimming your lights in the evening and reducing your exposure to electronics a few hours before bed. If you are reading on your tablet or watching TV at night, try using blue light filters. It is best to avoid working in your bedroom, so your brain is more likely to associate the space with rest. Dark curtains can help block out any streetlights at night or sunlight during the day if you're a shift worker who needs to sleep during the day. Avoiding intense physical activity before bed can help. It's also best to try to avoid engaging in other activities that are over-stimulating for our brains at least 2 hours before bed.
Sometimes it's our worries that can keep us awake. When we are overwhelmed and have too much to do, it's not uncommon for people to ruminate over a to do list. People spend time lying in bed thinking about the past and the future often times focusing on all the things they have no control over. Sometimes we worry about our children, relationships and work stress. The list of things that people commonly lay awake in bed at night really is endless.
Have you wondered if therapy could help with your insomnia? It can! Cognitive Behavior Therapy, CBT, is an evidenced-based treatment modality that is shown to be effective for insomnia? It focuses on identifying our irrational and negative thoughts, learning to identify thinking errors and reframing those irrational thoughts with ones that are more rationale. Clients who participate in therapy can learn to challenge those worries and begin to reframe those thoughts independently. The results of CBT can be twice as powerful when we practice reframing those thoughts on paper.
Many people will look at the clock in the middle of the night and think about how terrible they are going to feel the next day. That worry makes it even more difficult to go back to sleep. It's better to pause those thoughts and think about the fact that lots of people lose sleep at night once and awhile and they are just fine. You've probably lost sleep at night before and you were fine. You might feel a bit sluggish the next day, but we can survive it. If you have the luxury of getting up when the sun is out, a simple way to manage that worry is by not looking at the clock. Just begin thinking, "the sun isn't up so it does not matter what time it is. It's not time to get up." Sometimes we need to roll back over and reframe those worries. It's helpful to then use some relaxation strategies such as deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation. Avoid looking at the clock to see what time it is especially if it causes you to be anxious. For many people, the clock is our phone which is just another distraction that can keep us awake at night. Mindless scrolling might make you sleepy, but it also causes our brain activity to increase making a restful night's sleep even more difficult.
Sometimes having someone to talk to about your sleep difficulties and focus on some problem-solving around your stressors can help. Having a safe space to unpack some of that stress does wonders for anxiety and worries. Clients can learn some very effective relaxation strategies when they participate in therapy. If you feel like you need some assistance to help you get a peaceful night's rest, reach out to Best Life Therapy. New patients can schedule their first appointment online on the first page of this website. Just click the request an appointment link to see available days and times. Best Life Therapy is hiring. We plan to have more available times soon as we add more clinicians to better serve you. If you request an appointment online and don't see a time that works for you, email the owner and CEO of the clinic, Vicky Alvarez at [email protected] and be share to share your appointment needs. We might be able to add time to our schedules to assist you. We are truly committed to helping clients live their best life and would be happy to help you with that. Sleep well and if you don't, remember that we are hear for you. We look forward to seeing you soon!
We Specialize in Anxiety, Depression, Grief and Trauma
At Best Life Therapy, we provide compassionate counseling to support your mental health journey. Our experienced therapists are here to help you navigate life's challenges and promote personal growth.
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- Photo taken at Flushing County Park, Michigan