| Do you suffer from anxiety insomnia? If your worries | | | | how to completely relax your body, so that you feel |
| are keeping you awake, you can overcome them and | | | | as relaxed and limp as cooked spaghetti. |
| get a good night's sleep. It's important to take action as | | | | Relaxing your body is vital, because to relax your mind, |
| soon as possible however, because insomnia can | | | | you need to start with your body. If your body is totally |
| become a habit. | | | | relaxed, it's impossible to feel stress. Therefore, |
| Everyone has the occasional sleepless night, especially | | | | develop a daily relaxation practice, in which you |
| before a big event. If you're giving a major | | | | completely relax your body, one muscle group at a |
| presentation the next day, or even are looking forward | | | | time. You can find books and tapes which will help you |
| to a happy event like your vacation, it's hard to get to | | | | to learn the "relaxation response". |
| sleep. However, chronic insomnia, when difficulty in | | | | Slowing Your Mind With a Body Scan |
| sleeping is a regular event, occurs for ten per cent of | | | | Once you're in bed at night, settle down, on your back, |
| the population. | | | | and take several long, slow, deep breaths. Close your |
| The challenge with insomnia is that the more you try to | | | | eyes, and relax your eyelids. Now, starting with your |
| go to sleep, the more wakeful you become -- you | | | | toes, relax every part of your body in turn. Just |
| can't force sleep. You can however prepare for it, and | | | | become aware of the body part, and say "relax..." |
| make sleep more likely. | | | | You can start your body scan in this way. "Left toes... |
| For long term insomnia prevention, ensure that you get | | | | relax... left foot, relax... left ankle, completely relax..." |
| into a nightly routine which encourages healthy sleep. | | | | Gradually, taking as much time as you need, relax |
| Remove any distractions from your bedroom, including | | | | every part of your body. |
| your TV and computer, for example, and don't | | | | You'll usually find that before you complete your body |
| exercise or watch an exciting movie in the last couple | | | | scan, you're asleep. If you're still awake when you've |
| of hours before bedtime. | | | | relaxed your scalp, start again with the left toes. |
| The Relaxation Response: Take Charge of Your | | | | A nightly body scan, combined with practicing daily |
| Stress | | | | physical relaxation, cures anxiety insomnia. Try it tonight |
| To deal with your current insomnia, you need to learn | | | | -- you'll get a restful night's sleep. |