(Waking in the middle of the night or early morning can be a symptom of depression, particularly if you are a younger person.  If you feel that you may be suffering from a depression that lasts more than a couple of weeks, you should see a doctor.)

Anxiety is a common cause of middle-of-the-night insomnia, and it’s certainly true in my case that I am far more likely to wake in the middle of the night and worry over things if, well, I have something to worry about.

A while ago, I ran across a very helpful set of techniques to help get back to sleep (this link will open a PDF).

My favorite technique?

Block intrusive thoughts while you are in bed by doing the following: immediately start saying the word “the” over and over, under your breath, with only the slightest movement of your tongue each time you say the word “the”.  Repeat “the” at a comfortable rate, 2 or 3 times per second.

Believe it or not, this works like a charm for me a lot of the time, frequently cutting the awake time from an hour or two to five or ten minutes.

Do you ever suffer from middle-of-the-night insomnia?  If so, what are your coping strategies?

Read all the posts about sleep here.

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Do you regularly get by on less than seven hours of sleep per night? If the answer is yes, then you are suffering from chronic sleep deprivation. According to John Hopkins Medicine, chronic sleep deprivation “can lead to poor concentration, raise the risk of colds and other infections, and leave you feeling worn out and easily irritated.” Sound familiar?

Intriguingly for those of us who struggle with weight and do not get enough sleep, there is a proven association between chronic sleep deprivation and obesity. Researchers are now trying to determine whether sleep deprivation can actually cause obesity, perhaps through causing imbalances in the hormones that help regulate our appetite.

Getting a solid seven to nine hours of sleep every night will definitely help improve mood and motivation levels, and it’s an excellent way to help establish or strengthen the daily routines that are at the heart of the Nurturing Hope system. These little tweaks will gradually, almost effortlessly transform our lives if we let them!

Remember:

Choose no more than one tweak per month – don’t try to pile them on! Practicing a single tweak for at least a full month gives you the best chance of forming a real habit and life change. Do not try to add another tweak until the previous tweak has become a habitual part of your life (this can sometimes take longer than a month).

This is all about loving yourself and creating a joyful life! Therefore, when choosing a new tweak to practice, pick one that is appealing and gives you a sense of anticipation.

Read all the posts about getting enough sleep here.

Click here to get updates and information about the NurturingHope.com Tweaks System by email, FREE.

Click here to find out more about our private, supportive Member Forum.

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