Stress Management Help for Insomniacs

In the previous article we introduced you to some guided meditation/self-hypnosis techniques to help you relax. Long-term, though, to overcome insomnia, you must learn to effectively manage the stress in your daily life so that your stress levels don't build up and prevent sleep.

Stress management solutions can help you get recuperative rest. Our bodies respond to negative and positive stress in the same way. When we feel excited for example, our bodies respond to the stress in the same way as it would respond to fearful situations.

When our bodies respond to stress, often we experience a rapid heartbeat, increased adrenalin, and sometimes even muscle contractions that can be frightening. Both negative and positive stress will produce these reactions. Stress is appropriate in some instances. As long as we are able to manage stress effectively, we can learn how to thrive on the excited stress.

Healthy stress is both practical and normal. Healthy stress can help us improve our awareness and give us a boost of energy. However, when stress regularly builds, becoming excessive, it is harmful to our health. If you continue to experience a rapid heartbeat, excess energy or muscle contractions, the changes are that your stress level is extremely high.

Your Health

Take a moment to assess your health. In the next worksheet write if you notice repeated symptoms such as a rapid heartbeat, excessive energy or muscle contractions. Record any ongoing symptoms such as depression, procrastination, strain, lack of interest in things you once enjoyed etc. Notice if you experience frequent colds, lack of energy, avoidance, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Record the symptoms in your worksheet. If you notice any fears or nervousness, record that as well.

If you notice any of these symptoms, which persist, the chances are that your stress level is high and you may suffer from depression. When depression exists, stress levels can become unmanageable.

Stress will affect you both mentally and physically. When stress is too high, problems develop such as the inability to think clearly. You may often have nagging negative thoughts. You may even worry constantly. Physically, you may experience tension or illnesses. Since the components of stress-related problems are broad, learning strategies to manage stress are in order.

Self-Talk

Self-talk is one of the best ways to manage stress. A little voice in our subliminal minds, or the back of our minds, is always there offering us messages. If you stop suppressing this little voice and listen, you can take action to conquer insomnia, or even a broad spectrum of mental and emotional disorders. So listen to the voices in your head; write on a piece of paper what that voice is telling you. Follow up in the practice below.

Practice

Rehearse - visualize some positive events in your life. Consider how those positive events affect you now. Rehearse by seeing yourself in the here and now and looking at your success. Then look how these successes will help you in the future. For example, if you go to college, look at the results of what will happen to you by finishing your studies. You can get a better job for example, or earn more money.

Stress management in focus

Stress management can help you conquer insomnia. Each practice we offer gives you tools that you can use persistently to manage your stress. Some of the techniques we will use include relaxation and breathing techniques. Techniques for letting go of anxiety will also be used throughout this guide.

If, after practicing the techniques in this guide, your insomnia is not much better within two weeks, contact your therapist at the Live Chat area. There are three reasons it may not work for you:

1. Medical issues
2. You may not be working through the steps correctly
3. You may have a mental disorder overriding the treatment.

You will need to see a doctor to weed out any medical causes. If you have problems working through the steps, ask for help.

Stress management is a thoroughly researched field. Symptoms that arise as a result of stress may also include stomach tension, knotted stomach, neck pain, shoulder pain, etc. There are many symptoms that develop from stress. Since stress management is widely studied, you should not have a reason to feel such discomforts. Instead, learn how to relax.

Relaxing involves sorting out your problems to come to some agreement. Problems may develop from someone else's actions or our own.

Power Process Technique

In the next worksheet, write the difference between interpretations and behaviors. Behaviors are factual and can be observed. You can look up information to find out what interpretations and behaviors include.

Create a list of behaviors that someone else has that seem disturbing to you. Review your notes on interpretations and behaviors and see if the behaviors from the other person are something that you interpret or are actual behavior.

Practice

Each day, make it a habit to practice the steps in this guide to conquer your insomnia. Practice opens the door to opportunity, so don't let this chance pass you by.

Summary

In this article, we helped you take action to develop new stress management techniques that will help you conquer your sleeping disorder. In the next article, we will help you build your observation skills. Building observation skills will help you to take control of your life more effectively. Building your observation skills will enforce self-awareness. You will be able to recognize symptoms, discomforts and other things that pertain to you and deal with them in order to deal with your insomnia.

Help is available online - use the links below to learn more or to take a test.