RUTH E. FIELD, LCSW PSYCHOTHERAPY 847.977.4741
  • Home
  • About
  • Services
  • Contact Me
  • FAQ
  • Blog

Why good sleep hygiene matters, especially in grief.

8/24/2018

0 Comments

 
Do you have trouble getting a good night’s sleep? Do you toss and turn, reviewing your thoughts, feelings, and memories? Do you wake up in the middle of the night and then lie there, unable to fall back to sleep?

Many people have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep while grieving. Sometimes it’s just an occasional wakeful night, while other times bring about a longer stretch of sleeplessness.

Even years later, certain days may trigger another time of insomnia. My son died on a Sunday evening, and sleep was elusive for a long time on most Sunday nights. Now 7 years later, when I occasionally have a sleepless or restless night, it’s usually on a Sunday.

One of my 4 Facets of Grief is replenishing, which means taking the best possible care of ourselves we can. This is the time to pay extra attention to our wellness needs, and stabilizing the sleep cycle (both getting enough sleep and getting regular sleep) is important.

What is sleep hygiene?

How we manage our sleep cycle is referred to as sleep hygiene and it affects many aspects of our health. There are various ways of improving sleep hygiene, and bereavement is a particularly vital time to pay attention to it.

Health Magazine lists 11 benefits of good sleep hygiene. They include:
  • Improving memory
  • Enhancing quality of life
  • Reducing inflammation
  • Stimulating creativity
  • Increasing athletic skill
  • For students – improving grades
  • Sharpening your attention
  • Maintaining a healthy weight
  • Reducing stress
  • Avoiding car accidents
  • Decreasing depression and anxiety

Now that you know how healthy sleep can help you, what can you do to get rid of those sleepless nights? Here’s an article with ideas to try: https://www.tuck.com/sleep-and-grief/
​

Read the suggestions and let me know in the comments what you’ve tried and how it’s worked. 

Wishing you health and peace,
Ruth



Read The 4 Facets of Grief

Schedule an Appointment 

 Click here to join the list!
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Essays on Grief Resilience

    Archives

    December 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013


©2024 Ruth E. Field, LCSW

466 Central Avenue, Suite 2, Northfield, Illinois  60093

 ​​847-977-4741  ​

  [email protected]    ​

Copyright © 2024                                  Privacy Policy
  • Home
  • About
  • Services
  • Contact Me
  • FAQ
  • Blog