Home LivingWellnessSleepThis ‘sleep killer’ can be fixed in just 15 minutes, says sleep psychologistCancel out this ‘sleep killer’ with these psychologist-recommended tricksWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Home LivingWellnessSleepThis ‘sleep killer’ can be fixed in just 15 minutes, says sleep psychologistCancel out this ‘sleep killer’ with these psychologist-recommended tricksWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Cancel out this ‘sleep killer’ with these psychologist-recommended tricks
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Tim Samuel / Pexels)
(Image credit: Tim Samuel / Pexels)
According to sleep psychologist,Aric A. Prather, PhD in an article written for CNBC, the number one sleep killer is rumination. In the article, Prather revealed that after years of research into sleep and cognitive behavioural therapy, rumination is the biggest problem that causes poor sleep and affects the ability to fall asleep at night.
What is rumination and how does it affect sleep?
Rumination is where you engage in a repetitive and negative thought process that goes round and round your mind continuously without completion or end. Essentially, it’s an overwhelming pattern of worrying and stressing about things which can be difficult to stop.
While rumination can happen to anyone and at any time, it can be particularly distressing when you’re trying to get to sleep. This is because rather than relaxing, your mind is still firing which makes you stay awake longer and can even prolong mental health issues and impair your ability to process emotions, according toHealthline.
Prather says that “rumination is a sleep blocker because it keeps your mind aroused, especially in bed, when it’s dark and quiet. Your attention is drawn back again and again to this thing that didn’t go well or to a regret.” He also says that while there’s no magic switch to stop or turn off rumination, it can be managed in just 15 minutes with 2 simple tricks that can be easily added into your daily routine.
(Image credit: Kinga Cichewicz / Unsplash)
(Image credit: Kinga Cichewicz / Unsplash)
1. Schedule in time to worry during the day
When people ruminate, they tend to fixate on something they’re worried about that gradually repeats and gets worse as thoughts get more and more out of control. But to stop this happening before you sleep, Prather says that scheduling in “emotional worry” time during the day can put a stop to this at night.
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2. Practice ‘constructive worrying’
There’s no right or wrong way to worry but in an effort to keep your rumination to a minimum and to help you feel less stressed, Prather suggests ‘constructive worrying’. During your worry time, take a piece of paper and write down your problems and potential solutions to them.
“Come up with a short list of current issues you’re dealing with and focus in particular on what you’re likely to ruminate about. Under ‘Solutions’, come up with 1 or 2 steps you could take to tackle the issue. The goal is to chart out a plan for how to get started with actionable steps for tomorrow or the next few days.”
For more stress-tackling tips, try thisrapid tapping techniqueor give these5 stress-busting techniquesa go next time you’re feeling anxious.
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