How to sleep when you are sad?

When life has moments in which it seems that you are walking uphill on a mountain that has no end, rest is almost completely altered. 

The loss of loved ones, depressive episodes or simply bad streaks of days or weeks with a low mood cause us to experience little emotional tranquility. This triggers our alert state to remain active, which makes it difficult to sleep.

What can I do during the day to sleep better

Healthy habits carried out during the day directly affect the quality of sleep you will have at night. Therefore, it is important to implement some positive routines in our daily lives to guarantee a good rest.

In a previous article we talked about Mindfulness , a current of meditation that consists of paying full attention to the present and letting emotions flow as they occur. When you are sad, repressing that sadness or pretending that it is not there will not make it disappear, but will accumulate it until it comes to light at another time. One of the most common mistakes is to mask pain with happiness instead of trying to complement them. It is natural to be sad, but you need a positive side (even if it is difficult at first or even seems false) to be able to get out of a bad step. Mindfulness helps precisely that: it calms reactions to unpleasant situations and makes us connect with ourselves.

Maintaining a positive attitude is very difficult, but it is necessary. Something we can do is repeat in our heads that, despite feeling unwell emotionally, that will not prevent us from resting properly. This way, the brain believes what it is told and will be more likely to disconnect when it's time to sleep.

During the day it is also important to develop emotional bonds and talk with trusted people with whom you can vent comfortably. In the more social aspect, it has also been recorded that supportive and generous acts create an inner peace that improves rest. Generosity can also benefit oneself.

Physical activity is also essential for the body to perform correctly.

What can I do right before going to sleep?

To induce sleep as soon as possible, the first thing you should try is to have your body and mind relaxed. Some routines of writing, reading or listening to music just before going to sleep help a lot to calm down.

It is essential to have regular sleep schedules: try to sleep each day at more or less the same time and the amount necessary to function properly.

Meditation before bed also helps with relaxation. You can evoke calming images that allow you to feel in a peaceful space, such as ocean waves, a forest or any place where your mind goes to disconnect. Something that also helps maintain a more positive attitude is to be grateful for what you have right before going to sleep (either by writing it down or simply thinking about it): this helps especially on days when you feel like there is no nothing to be grateful for.

Disconnect from screens: the light they give off are inhibitors of melatonin (one of the sleep hormones). If you can, try to turn off your phone an hour before going to sleep, talk to your closest people and have someone you trust who can help you or answer the phone in case you go into crisis. If you have pets and can sleep with them, do so: this helps to generate stronger bonds with your animals and to feel protected and accompanied.

 

We hope these tips help you sleep better.

 

We put at your disposal a series of telephone numbers that will contact people who can provide you with psychological help 24 hours a day in case of crisis. You're not alone.

Psychological help telephone number: 900 124 365 (Community of Madrid)

Telefono de la Esperanza Association : 914 590 055 (National) or find the number of your nearest center at https://telefonodelaesperanza.org/contacto .