shelbys-advice-blog:

Hi there lovely anon :)

I can understand where you’re coming from. As a child, I would have major issues sleeping (I still do). I’ve got some tips for you on sleep in general and some different ways you can help yourself fall and stay asleep plus some links :)

How to improve sleep:

1. Listen to calming music- Having music in the background is helpful because it allows your mind to flow into the music while you drift off to sleep.
   
2. Sleep medication- Talk to your doctor about prescribing you a natural sleep medication if you are having severe instability to sleep.
3. Calming scents- Having calming scents in your room such as lavender or vanilla are helpful because those scents ease the mind and are very nice to smell.
4. Comfortable temperature- If your room is too hot or cold, it can be hard to sleep and find that just right stop. I suggest having a fan in the summer time that can blow cool breeze at you, and in the winter have a heater or have a plan to wear more blankets.
5. Limit distractions- When you’re trying to fall asleep, having things around you that can be distracting, its best to move those things out of the room or turn them off. You could put your cell phone on the counter instead of your nightstand so you are not woken up each time you get a text.
6. Comfort items- Having stuffed animals or blankets can help improve your sleep because when you have those items, you feel comfortable and in a safe place which is a must for a good nights sleep.

Helpful Links:

Sleep issues;

• - 8 hour sleep music.
• -Rainy mood.
• -Meditation.
• -Coping with nightmares.
• -How to cope with nightmares, 11 steps.
• -Calm
• -Foods that can affect your sleeping, both positive and negatively.

Dealing with insomnia/sleep deprivation

• What time should I sleep?
• Calculating the perfect bedtime + sleep efficiency
• 42 simple tips to deal with insomnia
• 10 tips to beat insomnia
• How to make yourself so tired that you’ll fall asleep
• 11 ways to get to sleep and stay asleep
• Trick yourself into dozing off
• Natural remedies to help sleep
• Natural remedies for sleep apnea
• Restoring restful sleep
• 10 steps to recovering from insomnia
• Recover after a sleepless night
• How to fix snoring
• How to pull an all nighter and still do well in an exam
• Health benefits of sleep
• Why sleep is so important

I have some general advice on how you can cope with having nightmares and some more links for you:

• Create a playlist of music that relaxes you.  Keep your music player on your night stand so that it is available when you wake up.
• Keep a journal by your bed.  When you wake up, write down everything you remember about the nightmare.  This will help to focus you on a task and distract you, plus you may start to notice trends.  Writing things down can be highly therapeutic.
• As with most sleep disorders, try to keep a regular sleep-wake cycle. Get up at the same time every day, go to sleep at the same time every night.  Having a routine before bed is important as well, as it prepares your brain for sleep.  
• Reserve your bed for sleep only: no watching TV, texting, or using your laptop.Regular exercise reduces stress and releases endorphins, and can reduce your night terrors.

Helpful Links:

• How To Cope with Nightmares
  
• How to Keep a Dream Journal
• Making a Dream Journal
• Sleep Meditation Music
• Teas for Insomnia
• Natural Sleep Remedies
• Medication Interactions Checker (Make sure you’re okay to take sleep aids before doing so!)
• DIY Bubblebath
• Foods that can help/harm sleep
• Cheap Pillows
• Aromatherapy
• Guided Meditation

Why do we need to sleep well?

• 10 benefits of sleep you’re not aware of
• 16 amazing facts about sleep that will surely impress you
• Why sleep matters
• Dangers of sleep deprivation
• Deadly health problems your body develops when you lack sleep
• Should I get up earlier to lose weight?
• 10 things morning people do that makes them different
• 6 ways lack of sleep is destroying your life
• 6 secrets people who get enough sleep are keeping
• This is why you’ll regret not getting enough sleep

How to do it?

• You’re not sleeping well. Here’s a guide on the best sleeping position
• 10 things to remember if you want to fall asleep faster
• 10 ways to have quality sleep that you probably don’t know
• 10 unconventional (but great) sleeping tips you’ve probably never heard
• 13 things you can do to help yourself fall asleep
• 11 ways to become an early riser like most successful people do
• 11 sleep habits of successful people
• 10 mistakes you’re probably making that makes waking up early difficult
• Use these tips to become a morning person
• 8 easy ways to get better sleep tonight
• The a-zzz’s sleep guide to wellness
• Five ways to fall asleep quicker at night
• Learn how to sleep like a baby

How about an actual good morning?

• 10 simple strategies to wake up early
• 15 ways to simplify your morning routine and have a great morning
• Doing these simple things after waking up makes our day better
• 10 things healthy people do before going to work every day
• 5 keys to a great morning
• 12 things you didn’t know successful people do before breakfast
• Never do this in the morning
• 5 simple morning rituals to supercharge your day
• 10 don'ts to avoid unproductive mornings

Once you’ve looked over those links (I know there are tons, but I like to go above and beyond)

Anyways, below are some general tips on how you can fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer:

• Get the number of hours of sleep each night you need to function optimally. Although it varies, most individuals need between seven and eight hours of sleep every night.  When sleep-deprived, you are less efficient and focused during the day, and may be leaving yourself open for health risks as well. Research has shown sleep deprivation can affect appetite, weight gain, diabetes risk, the strength of your immune system and even your chance of developing depression. If you have been trying to get by on less sleep, try backing up bedtime by 15 minutes each week, until you are getting the amount of sleep that leaves you feeling refreshed in the morning.
• Create a calming atmosphere in your bedroom. If your room is cluttered with work, books that have not been read, papers to attend to, and dirty laundry, it will be a constant reminder of all you need to do.  Take 15 minutes each day and begin clearing the clutter and making your room one you will look forward to relaxing in at the end of each day.
• Make your bed in the morning. A straightened bed is so much more appealing to go to at night then one that is a jumble of sheets and blankets.
• Reserve your bed for sleep and sex only. This will allow your mind to associate your bed with rest and relaxation only. Watch TV, use your computer, talk on the phone, and eat somewhere else.
• Create a calming nighttime ritual.Turn off your computer, shut the TV, and do not answer your phone for an hour before you want to go to sleep. Choose activities you find calming.  Take a warm bath, read a magazine or novel, have some decaffeinated tea or cookies and milk.  
• Keep your bedroom cool at night. For most individuals, 65 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit will allow the dip in core body temperature you need to induce sleep.
• Avoid caffeine in the later afternoon and evening. Caffeinated coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate and sugar-laden snacks can all keep you too wired to fall asleep at bedtime.
• Avoid late night workouts.  Exercise is a great sleep aid, but a vigorous workout too late in the day may keep you up at night. However, a leisurely walk after dinner could be just the thing to calm your body and mind.
• Avoid alcohol and spicy foods in the late evenings. Although a nightcap may help you fall asleep, you will probably experience fragmented sleep, and find yourself wide-awake within a few hours. Steer clear of spicy foods or anything you know causes you heartburn or gastric distress.
• If an evening party or celebration finds you consuming wine or cocktails, drink plenty of water throughout the evening, and keep a water bottle by your bedside. This way, if you do wake up dehydrated, you will not need to get out of bed.
• Spend a few minutes creating your “to do list” and preparing for the next day.  This will allow your mind to know everything is ready and your morning will be calmer as well.
• Keep a pad and pen by your bedside. If you wake in the middle of the night, and your mind is racing with thoughts of things you neglected to do, or need to get done, writing them down will release your mind from worrying about forgetting in the morning, allowing you to drift back to sleep.
• If you have not fallen asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed and find a relaxing spot to read. Do not use your technology or watch TV, do anything that requires brain work, or look at a clock.  Any of these will stimulate you and increase your anxiety.  As soon as you feel sleepy, return to bed.
• Eliminate or reduce afternoon naps to a maximum of 30 minutes, regardless of how little you slept the night before. Napping too late in the day or for too long can set you up for another sleepless night and a vicious cycle.
• Go to bed and get up at the same time every day no matter how much sleep you had the night before. The closer you can keep to a routine, the more your body will recognize and respond appropriately to your bedtime and wake up hours.  Don’t attempt to make up for lost sleep during the week by sleeping in all weekend.

(Source.)

Hope this helps! Keep me updated? I’d love to hear back from you and see if my advice has helped :) Take care and don’t forget to smile :) xx