We have reached the shortest day/longest night. Cold, dark and wet Winter weather outside makes tucking up in bed a lot more pleasurable and a regular sleep pattern is so important to recovery and a great way to arm yourself against bugs and viruses.
Depression and anxiety can disrupt your sleep and it is not so easy to simply turn off. Those longer Winter nights appear to make situations and worries far worse. Do you always seem to wake up at the same time? Waking up at 3am is a common problem!
Try to set aside some time in the day to problems-solve or complete a task that might we weighting on your mind. Caffeine can affect your sleep so avoid drinking caffeine in the later part of the day and try not to drink more than two cups of caffeine-type drinks each day (e.g. coffee, strong tea, cola or energy drinks).
Doing something relaxing before bedtime may allow time to wind down. Although alcohol is not recommended during treatment avoid using alcohol to help with sleep. It can cause people to sleep less deeply and to wake more frequently.
Create a regular pattern by trying to get up about the same time the same time each morning. This can often be regulated to your medication you may have to take.
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