What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is the our body’s reaction to important events or perceived danger. It alerts the body to danger and allows the body prepare to deal with it. For instance, it helps us to jump out of the way of a speeding car. Anxiety can lead us to perform at our best, such as when you are studying for a final exam. Almost everyone experiences various levels of anxiety.
Anxiety 101
Anxiety is not dangerous. Even though anxiety may feel uncomfortable, it is temporary and will eventually decrease. The sensations humans experience in anxious situations alert and activate the body’s natural response mechanism.
Making Sleep Count - Active Steps
Find a routine that works for you and stick to it. Try to eat, exercise, and sleep at the same time every day. It helps the body set your internal clock and sleep cycle.
Exercise. Being physically active helps you feel sleepy at bedtime and improves quality of sleep.
Drink water. Hydrating during the day improves sleep at night.
Avoid anything too heavy, spicy, or sugary in the evening before you sleep.
Set the stage for sleep. Make the room and bed as comfortable as possible, find the right temperature (cool is better), turn down the lights and cut out noise.
Unwind about 30 minutes to an hour before bed, turn off all electronics, dim the lights, and do something relaxing (read, meditate, listen to soothing music, have a warm bath/hot shower, journal about things that make you feel good, draw).
Use your bed only for sleeping. Try to avoid TV, surfing the net, or playing on your phone. These activities send your brain the message that your bed is a place to be alert and interfere with a good nights rest.
Wake up at the same time every morning (don’t sleep for more than an hour past your regular wake-up time on the weekends) to help your body regulate sleep.
Wake up to bright lights. Light sends your brain the message it’s time to get up and be alert.
