8 Sleep Tips for Worriers

1. Put worry on a schedule. "In today's busy world, we don't have time to do normal worrying until the lights go out," says Mary Susan Esther, M.D., director of the Sleep Center at South Park in Charlotte, North Carolina, and president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. "Yet everyone needs a worry time," she adds. The trick is to schedule it on a regular basis, early in the evening -- any time before 8:00 P.M. Sit down with a stack of 3 x 5 index cards and ask yourself, "What am I worried about?" Then write down one worry on each card. When you seem to have written down your last worry, go back to the first card, reflect on the worry it describes, and give yourself a reality check. Does the worry involve a problem that you can do something about? If not, rip up the card. If there is something you can do, write down possible actions and tuck the card into a worry box. You can give it more thought in the morning and decide what to do.
2. Head for the bathroom. Once you've shut down the computer and had your scheduled worry session, a warm bath before bed will not only relax you, it will also adjust your body's temperature to a point that signals your brain: "Hey, honey, it's time for sleep."
3. Hide the clocks. "Digital clocks blare time at you," says Dr. Esther. "It's normal to wake throughout the night, but if you look at a clock and see the time, it's likely to increase your anxiousness about not being asleep." If you need a clock to wake you in the morning, just turn its face to the wall right before bed. You'll hear it just as well.
4. Keep milk and cookies within reach. Milk contains sleep-inducing tryptophan, but you need carbs to get it into your brain. Dr. Esther likes cookies (low-fat, of course) as the carb, but you could substitute crackers if you'd prefer. There are tryptophan supplements on the market, but neither she nor the FDA recommends them; their safety is still in question.
5. Nix nightcaps. "Sometimes sleepless individuals will have a drink or two to help fall asleep," says Dr. Esther. "While it will shorten time falling asleep, alcohol actually causes more arousal as your body metabolizes it. The result is it shortens sleep. ins8i"A glass of wine with dinner is okay," she adds. "But a glass afterward may have an impact on your sleep."
6. Treat yourself like a child. Create a nurturing postbath, prebed routine that's intended to help you wind down, says Dr. Esther. A little reading, a little soft music -- whatever makes you feel nurtured and relaxed. "We tend to take care of everyone else before we take care of ourselves," says Dr. Esther. "That has to change."
7. Stop those thoughts. Once you hit the sheets, worry time is over -- especially about sleeping. There's a therapy trick called "thought-stopping" that works like a charm, says Dr. Esther. "If you find yourself thinking about tomorrow and saying, 'It's going to be a bad day because I'm never going to sleep,' immediately think: 'STOP. Don't go there. I know I've done this before. If I don't fall asleep, I'll get out of bed, flip through a magazine, but I am NOT going to focus on this stuff!'" Sounds simple, but once you try it, you'll find it works!
8. Schedule your sleep time. "Stick with it seven days a week," says Dr. Esther. Opening your eyes at the same time every morning triggers a series of biochemicals that, as the day winds down, tell your body when it's time to sleep.