solutions for sleep

SOLUTIONS FOR SLEEP

Creation Station Presents

Sleep Deprivation caused by ANXIETY can be remedied by reducing the stresses on the body that cause anxiety.

We’ve taken a holistic approach in discovering solutions that cover all aspects of people’s needs whether they are psychological, physical, or social.

Our solutions can be categorized into 7 categories: Medical/Pharmaceutical, Nutritional, Exercise/Physical, Herbal, Spiritual, Social, and Environmental.

Medical/Pharmaceutical

Anxiety as well as tension-type headaches (TTH) are often related to depression. In these cases, anti depression medication such as Prozac and Zoloft may be solutions.

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Medical/Pharmaceutical

High levels of anxiety may be related to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Medicines that act on the nervous system can help reduce anxiety and other symptoms of PTSD.Antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), can be effective in treating PTSD.

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Medical/Pharmaceutical

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder can cause anxiety. The solution: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) + Zoloft or Paxil + Clomipramine (TCA)

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Medical/Pharmaceutical

For Anxiety Disorder and Panic disorder solutions include serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors.

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Medical/Pharmaceutical

For anxiety related migraines, one should take beta-blockers or Calcium channel blockers such as Cardizem.

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Medical/Pharmaceutical

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) may be the cause of anxiety. Solutions include: stimulants, nonstimulants, or antidepressants.

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Medical/Pharmaceutical

Anxiety can be caused by withdrawals when quitting tobacco usage. Solutions would include nicotine supplements (i.e. Nicorette gum, “the patch,” etc.)

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Medical/Pharmaceutical

Restless leg syndrome caused by anxiety can be remedied by anti anxiety medication such as Xanax.

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Medical/Pharmaceutical

Insomnia is often related to anxiety caused by rapid brain activity may be treated with Lunesta (Eszopiclone), a class of medications called hypnotics which works by slowing brain activity to allow sleep.

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Medical/Pharmaceutical

Some performance enhancement drugs used by athletes may cause anxiety, especially if taken too close to bedtime. Solution: cycle off of them.

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Medical/Pharmaceutical

Anxiety as well as tension-type headaches (TTH) are often related to depression. In these cases, anti depression medication such as Prozac and Zoloft may be solutions.

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Medical/Pharmaceutical

Sexual stimulants or male enhancement drugs may cause anxiety if taken just before bed time. Solution: take these supplements earlier in the daytime.

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Medical/Pharmaceutical

Anxiety may cause teeth grinding and TMJ in which the pain causes one to wake up or lose sleep. The solution: Bite guard.

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Medical/Pharmaceutical

Obesity can cause anxiety about looks and health, which causes sleep problems. After bariatric surgery, sleep apnea is shown to completely disappear.

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Medical/Pharmaceutical

A non surgical solution to sleep apnea caused by obesity related anxiety is medication assisted weight loss.

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Nutritional

Caffeine affects everyone differently and may stay active in the body for up to 6 hours. For some, caffeine can lead to panic attacks and high anxiety. Solution: limit caffeine consumption, and don’t consume caffeine close to bedtime.

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Nutritional

Alcohol can affect your mood, blood sugar, nervous system and heart rate all in a negative way that can cause bouts of anxiety and sleep deprivation. Alcohol can affect the levels of serotonin in the brain leading to anxiety and depression. Solution: Consume less alcohol.

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Nutritional

Eating healthier ingredients throughout the day in food choices can help reduce the harmful effects that preservatives and other by-products have on the nervous system.

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Nutritional

Make sure you have a balanced vitamin and mineral intake as this will encourage a stable nervous system. The most common deficiencies linked to anxiety are thiamine, niacin, and vitamin D.

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Nutritional

Hunger can cause stress and anxiety. Make sure to eat meals periodically throughout the day.

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Nutritional

Make sure to eat “right” if hypoglycemic. Low blood glucose can lead to anxiety. Proper intake of carbohydrates and essential amino acids in the diet is encouraged.

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Nutritional

Caffeine affects everyone differently and may stay active in the body for up to 6 hours. For some, caffeine can lead to panic attacks and high anxiety. Solution: limit caffeine consumption, and don’t consume caffeine close to bedtime.

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Nutritional

Sugar can provide unnecessary energy leading to anxiety. Consume less sugar, especially right before bedtime.

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Nutritional

Eating easily digestible foods and lean meats (i.e. brown rice, chicken) will help increase metabolism which can help fight off Anxiety.

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Nutritional

Toxic heavy metal poisoning can cause a wide variety of problems including panic attacks, anxiety, insomnia and dementia. Avoid having a diet consistently high in toxic heavy metals (i.e. sushi).

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Nutritional

Consume peppermint as it contains factors that aid in anxiety and sleep disorders.

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Exercise/Physical

Long-distance running: Runners feel better after running and endorphin release helps relieve anxiety; the sheer act of running long distances naturally tires the body, preparing it for sleep.

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Exercise/Physical

Reading allows you to forget what’s on your mind and escape to somewhere else and can reduce anxiety before bedtime.

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Exercise/Physical

Hard work/manual labor: Activities such as painting storm windows, shoveling snow, cleaning gutters, roof repairs, and building a fence require physical and mental exertion; a physically tired body and mind will result in better sleep.

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Exercise/Physical

Yoga: The mind-body element of yoga helps relax one’s psyche and helps regulate physiological responses to stress and anxiety.

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Exercise/Physical

Swimming: The rhythmic motions involved in lap swimming act to reduce stress and anxiety.

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Exercise/Physical

Long walks: The deep breathing and physical exertion required of walkers has a calming effect.

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Exercise/Physical

A good massage promotes healthy blood circulation and overall well-being.

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Exercise/Physical

Intimate relationships: Sex is healthy and good for the mind and body; it rejuvenates you, makes you feel alive, and mitigates anxiety.

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Exercise/Physical

Gardening: Sunlight, fresh air, and sounds of nature reduce anxiety which results in better sleep.

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Exercise/Physical

Jigsaw puzzles: Jigsaw puzzles require concentration on the task at hand, distracting the mind from the thoughts which are causing anxiety.

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Exercise/Physical

Pets: Taking the dog for a walk or playing with the cat is good for both pet and pet owner; taking care of “others” is good for the human conscience and psyche.

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Exercise/Physical

Smiling allows you to get rid of negative thoughts and can help build healthy relationships with others.

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Exercise/Physical

Cooking/Baking: The aroma of Mom’s home cooking and chocolate-chip cookies baking has the effect of relieving emotional or psychological distress, which can disrupt sleep.

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Exercise/Physical

Bicycling: The rhythmic motions and concentration involved in this activity allow the cyclist to forget his worries and the things causing him anxiety.

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Exercise/Physical

Cross-country skiing: This activity provides plenty of time for the participant to devise solutions to the problems keeping him awake at night; it’s also good for freeing the mind of life’s troubles.

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Exercise/Physical

Family time: While children/spouses may oftentimes be the source of anxiety, they can also provide tremendous relief from life’s stressors; sharing activities such as exercise, reading, and traveling may help individuals who are under duress realize they have a solid support system at home.

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Exercise/Physical

Hiking: This is a cheap way to exercise the mind and body, and to leave cares behind.

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Exercise/Physical

Arts (painting, photography, writing, etc.): These are good activities for anxiety relief when verbal interaction is unavailable or unwanted.

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Exercise/Physical

Motorcycling: The continuous road awareness necessary for safe riding fatigues the operator significantly and the result is worry-free sleep.

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Exercise/Physical

Volunteer (Habitat for Humanity, trail cleanup, etc.): When you help others, you take the focus away from yourself and your problems and put the focus on others in a mutually beneficial manner.

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Exercise/Physical

Laughter raises one’s heart rate and breathing in a healthy way; taking things less seriously and sharing humor with others has obvious benefits for reliving anxiety.

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Herbal

Borage is used to relieve depression and stress and is a mild diuretic.

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Herbal

Chamomile is a gentle herb used in tea to soothe and relax the nervous system. In stressful circumstances, chamomile is used to soothe the digestive tract. It is an anti-spasmodic and has anti-inflammatory properties.

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Herbal

Chamomile is a gentle herb used in tea to soothe and relax the nervous system. In stressful circumstances, chamomile is used to soothe the digestive tract. It is an anti-spasmodic and has anti-inflammatory properties.

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Herbal

Passionflower herb acts well as a sedative and anxiolytic. The British Herbal Compendium indicates its use for sleep disorders, nervous stress, and anxiety.

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Herbal

Lemon Balm has been used since 300 BC to relieve stress and anxiety, promote sleep, ease digestion, and lift spirits.

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Herbal

Marijuana is obtainable in many states at medical clinics with permission from a doctor and is commonly prescribed for stress.

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Herbal

Valerian is a traditional sedative. It improves the time needed to get to sleep, and the quality of sleep and relaxation. Several studies suggest that Valerian affects GABA, a brain chemical that balances excitement/ anxiety with relaxation. Valerian reduces anxiety and relaxes smooth muscle eg. the muscle of the digestive tract. Those with a nervous digestion may benefit.

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Herbal

Lavender. One of the most widely used herbs for relaxation, usually in the form of the essential oil. It is an effective herb for headaches, especially when they are related to stress. As a gentle strengthening tonic of the nervous system, it can be used for nervous debility and exhaustion. It may soothe and promote natural sleep and less restlessness at night.

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Herbal

St. John’s Wort (hypericum). The most popular herbal anti-depressant. Current research indicates that this herb acts on neurotransmitters, brain chemicals which influence mood (serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine). It both makes these neurotransmitters more available, and inhibits their re-uptake (stops de-activation).

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Herbal

Winter Cherry promotes relaxation and healthy neurological function. It can be used to treat Occasional nervousness, nervous tension and anxiety; depressed mood and mild to moderate mood changes caused by everyday stress; mental and physical fatigue.

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Herbal

5-HTP is naturally extracted from the seeds of Griffonia simplicifolia, a tree native to the Ivory Coast and Ghana. It supports a healthy neurotransmitter balance and is used to treat depressed mood and mild to moderate mood swings caused by everyday stress; occasional nervousness, nervous tension and anxiety.

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Herbal

Licorice Root contains a natural hormone alternative to cortisone, which can help the body handle stressful situations, and can help to normalize blood sugar levels as well as your adrenal glands, providing you with the energy necessary to deal with the stressful situation at hand. Some claim licorice stimulates cranial and cerebrospinal fluid, thereby calming the mind.

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Spiritual

Kundalini Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual discipline for developing strength, awareness, character, and consciousness. Participants who practice this form of yoga have more improvement on scores of perceived stress and purpose in life.

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Spiritual

Mindfulness Meditation. In the case of anxiety and mindfulness meditation, it would be a state of awareness and attention towards your own self, your body. Taking time to become aware of the sensations of tension, restricted breathing, anger or frustration. Many people take mindful meditation classes to treat and control their anxiety and stress.

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Spiritual

The Transcendental Meditation technique is often called the best meditation against stress. It allows your mind to settle inward beyond thought to experience the source of thought — pure awareness, also known as transcendental consciousness. This is the most silent and peaceful level of consciousness — your innermost self. In this state of restful alertness, your brain functions with significantly greater coherence and your body gains deep rest. 61

Spiritual

Spiritual Meditation: This type of meditation is for those who regularly participate in prayer, as it's based on communicating with God. Just like the other styles, you must become calm and quiet and then begin to focus on a question or problem you might have. This style of meditation can feel not only relaxing, but rewarding as well.

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Spiritual

Focused Meditation: If the idea of clearing your mind of all thoughts stresses you out, focused meditation is great because you can focus on a sound, object, mantra, or thought. The key here is to just focus on one of these things and stay committed to that one thought or object. This is when relaxation music comes in handy. Even though you're essentially using your mind, you'll be amazed at how rejuvenated you feel afterwards. 63

Spiritual

Movement Meditation: Movement meditation may seem intimidating, but if you're by yourself and you really get into it, it can be extremely uplifting and relaxing at the same time. Sitting with your eyes closed, simply focus on your breath and try out different gentle, repetitive flowing movements. Rather than focus on a sound, object, or thought, just turn your attention to your movement.

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Spiritual

Mantra Meditation: Mantras are words that are chanted loudly during meditation. It may seem odd to be making loud noises during a meditation session, but it's actually the sounds that become the object being focused on. In yoga, the mantra Om is regularly used since it delivers a deep vibration that makes it easy for the mind to concentrate on that particular sound.

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Spiritual

Guided visualization is a popular form of meditation that involves concentration upon an image or imaginary environment. It is usually done while listening to a recording. There is sometimes a focus on the breath, but generally no attempt to use or control the breath, and because the sensation is imaginary, and the impetus for it comes from outside, the practice tends to be rather passive.

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Spiritual

Trance-based practices. The hallmarks of a trance are: awareness of the self and the environment is limited, conscious control of the experience is absent, rational thinking is absent, and memory of the experience is very limited. Often these kinds of practices involve a form of hypnotic suggestion.

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Spiritual

Heart Rhythm Meditation focuses on the breath and heartbeat, making the breath full, deep, rich, rhythmic, and balanced. Attention is focused on the heart as the center of the energetic system. One tries to identify oneself with the heart. By focusing on the breath, you make your breath powerful. And then learning to direct the breath, to feel the circulation of breath as your pulse in different parts of your body, then on your magnetic field, you learn to direct and circulate energy.

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Social

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Sexual intercourse is proven to reduce stress and thereby, anxiety.

Social

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Attending church and other spiritually guided events where one may socialize with other like-minded individuals may help with stress.

Social

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Verbal communication with family and friends (social support) about issues causing stress and anxiety may assist “unburdening” the individual’s mind.

Social

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For introverts, reducing social time could make one feel more comfortable before bed.

Social

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Alcohol, to a light extent (night cap) or a quick beer with friends can help one loosen up before sleeping.

Social

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Kids sometimes like to sleep with parents’ beds because of separation anxiety or stress of sleeping alone.

Social

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Kids sleep may try sleeping with a teddy bear, so they don’t feel alone.

Social

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Kids can avoid anxiety by being encouraged to have a healthy level of social and physical activities.

Social

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Children lack the brain maturation and cognitive skills to cope well with distressing emotions which could cause sleep anxiety, so the solution of growing up and learning from peers will lead to brain maturation and the development of emotional coping skills to deal with distressing emotions and allow for sleep.

Social

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Parents of children who stress over “monsters in the closet/under the bed” can teach/speak with their kids about the difference between fantasy and reality.

Social

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Spending more time resolving marital problems can prevent stress from these issues and keep it from affecting married couples’ sleep, or their children’s sleep.

Social

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Getting used to a new situation or environment (like school, workplace, preschool, new peers) would reduce stress and anxiety that comes with a new (sometimes uncomfortable) environment/or peers that would prevent sleep.

Social

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Play sports (generally social because of number of people involved) which is good for overall physical health and reduces stress.

Social

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Volunteer or help others to get your mind off of your own issues or anxiety.

Social

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Socializing outside of bedroom so that the bedroom is only a place where one sleeps can help one’s body get prepared for rest when going to bed.

Social

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Laughing reduces tension. Laugh more!

Social

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Nurture close relationships because those who have a networks of support are less vulnerable to anxiety.

Social

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Social animals (like mammals) like cats, dogs, horses who are alone experience stress, so getting another social animal as a pet could reduce their stress.

Environmental

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Stopping that irritating dripping faucet that get’s on your nerves, can help you relax and sleep.

Environmental

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Moving away from a noisy environment, may help calm nerves and promote relaxation for sleep.

Environmental

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Having the presence of familiar noises (i.e. tumbler drying), may help one relax.

Environmental

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Earplugs can be a solution to irritation and anxiety caused by unwanted sounds.

Environmental

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In most cases, temperatures above 75 degrees Fahrenheit and below 54 degrees will disrupt sleep, but even sleep researchers fail to agree on the ideal temperature for sleep. In general, sleep scientists recommend keeping your room slightly cool -- Turning the thermostat down at night in cold weather sets the stage for sleep and saves on fuel bills.

Environmental

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Much of our sleep patterns – feeling sleepy at night and awake during the day – are regulated by light and darkness. Make sure to expose yourself to enough bright light during the day. Find time for sunlight, or purchase a lightbox or light visor to supplement your exposure to bright light. At bedtime, think dark: a dark bedroom contributes to better sleep.

Environmental

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Get rid of anxiety caused by irritable sleeping arrangements. For the most part, we know people sleep better when horizontal and not cramped by space, and it is clear that the sleep surface plays a role in getting a good night's sleep. Give yourself enough space to sleep. Replace an old mattress with a new one, and choose a pillow and mattress that fits yourself best and will be comfortable throughout the whole night.

Environmental

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Anxiety created by irritability from polluted air can have a big impact on sleep. Try to move to a less pollutes area or ventilate your room before going to bed. Different calming fresheners can also help.

Environmental

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Violent shows, news reports and stories before bedtime can be agitating. Steer clear.

Environmental

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TVs, computers, and work in the bedroom are sleep stealing culprits as they cause mild unconscious anxiety. Doing work, watching TV and using the computer, both close to bedtime and especially in the bedroom, hinders quality sleep.

Environmental

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Anxiety from agitation with vibrations can be solved. If you feel vibrations coming through the bed from the floor that typically distract you (such as distant heavy traffic on a highway), you can make simple vibration absorbers by cutting small discrete squares of rubber (such as from a cheap, rubber backed doormat or leftover carpet etc) and place these under the bed legs or frame edge where it contacts the floor.

Environmental

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Mild anxiety can be caused by agitation in a hot/dry climate. If you live in a hot or dry climate, the use of a damp towel on the face or neck can aid rest, as can having a water bottle close to hand if dehydration is a risk.

Environmental

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Anxiety by the agitation of insects can be thwarted. Mosquito nets or curtains are invaluable sleep aids in mosquito areas which can disturb sleep.

Environmental

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Aromatherapy may act as a relaxation agent to fight stress and anxiety.

Environmental

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Bad smells that cause agitation should be mitigated with air fresheners that are light on the nose.

Environmental

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Anxiety from agitation of humidity can be thwarted by humidity absorbers.

The End