Table of contents:
- Sequence of relaxation techniques to treat insomnia
- 1. Find the most comfortable sleeping position
- 2. Focus on the body
- 3. Listen for breath sounds
- 4. Take a deep breath
When you experience insomnia, your body feels chaotic. The body can be tired but to close your eyes to sleep is very difficult. If you have managed to sleep, sometimes there are things that make you wake up in the middle of the night so it is difficult to close your eyes again. Don't worry, try to get over your insomnia by practicing this simple relaxation technique.
Sequence of relaxation techniques to treat insomnia
If you experience insomnia, it's best to do these simple relaxation exercises before bed or when you wake up at night and have trouble falling back to sleep. The key to this relaxation technique is to focus on your breath as well as your body. The following is the sequence reported by the National Sleep Foundation:
1. Find the most comfortable sleeping position
The first thing to do is find a position that you think is most comfortable for sleeping. You can lie on your back or on your side. Let yourself relax, then focus on what you feel. When you are focused and relaxed, you can feel the body and surface of the mattress stick together. Release all tension so that the muscles can relax slowly.
2. Focus on the body
If your mind starts to drift off to the annoying incident this morning or tomorrow's work, slowly bring your attention back to your body. It's not easy, but if you keep practicing it, you can definitely focus on your body.
Feel how your body feels very sore and the mattress is so comfortable to support the body. Then, try to feel again for each part of the body from the head to the toes. Release all tension and don't think about anything other than how you felt in your body at that moment.
3. Listen for breath sounds
Once you have focused on your body, the next step is to concentrate on the sound of the breath. Try to hear and feel each of your inhalations and exhales. If your mind wanders again, slowly try to bring your attention back by listening to the sound of your breath.
Also feel the air passing through your nose. Feel the cool sensation on your nose when you inhale it and a warm feeling when you exhale.
4. Take a deep breath
To help the body relax, what you need to do next is take a deep breath. Pull in through the nose and exhale as slowly as possible through the mouth. To be more focused, hold your stomach as you breathe and feel the sensation of rising and falling. Repeat this several times until you feel much more relaxed than before.
Deep breathing helps reduce muscle tension, slows breathing rate and heart rate, and lowers blood pressure and metabolism. Long, slow inhalations and exhales are very similar to the rate of breathing during sleep. By doing so, you are trying to imitate this breathing pattern to help your body relax as much as you would when you were sleeping.
Do this relaxation technique for a few minutes to help your body relax. Whenever your mind strays off course, slowly return it by focusing on the sound of your breath.
Instead of directly using drugs, there's nothing wrong with trying this one relaxation technique first to overcome your insomnia.
