The Importance of a Sleep Pattern, Even While Grieving

If you have recently lost a loved one, you may find it difficult to do the daily things that are necessary to take care of yourself. You may feel like you lack the energy to make yourself a meal or exercise, and that is fine — every person has their own grieving process. However, it is important to maintain certain standards of self-care even while you deal with your grief. One of the most crucial things you can do to help yourself stay healthy in the grieving process is to make sure that you get enough sleep each night. Getting enough sleep will keep your energy levels up and will help make you more mentally able to deal with your grief. Here are some ways you can encourage yourself to get more sleep even with so much on your mind.

Take Steps to Improve Your Sleep

There are several things you can do as part of your late-afternoon and evening schedule that can further affect your sleep. First, if you take the time to exercise earlier in the day, you will find that it becomes much easier to fall asleep. Physical activity also helps the body experience a higher quality of sleep for an entire night.

If you are still finding it difficult to fall asleep, even with a regular routine, you may want to try some specialized equipment. Face masks, sleep monitors, and smart gadgets can be very useful at both fostering sleep and identifying problems with your current sleep habits. Be aware of your needs when looking at gadgets, though — if you don’t suffer from sleep apnea, for instance, you don’t need a gadget that focuses on correcting it. Another external thing that can affect your sleep is the color you have painted your bedroom walls. Soft, calming earth tones make it easier for you to fall asleep, while bright, less natural colors inhibit sleep.

Establish a Pattern

The first thing you should do is regulate your body to engage in a full night of sleep at the end of the day, even if most of your day has been consumed with grief and stress. In fact, stress is a major inhibitor of sleep, but routines are equally powerful. This is why you should make a point to establish a nightly pattern that you stick to even when you feel at your lowest. Eat dinner around the same time at night, usually a couple hours before you go to bed. Take a warm shower and read a book, or watch a relaxing television program. An hour before bed, try to turn off your electronic devices to ensure the blue light they emit won’t impact your sleep.

If you think that establishing a bedtime ritual, such as a glass of warm lemon water, will help trigger your body to realize that it is time for sleep, go ahead. What’s important is that you follow your routine every day. Part of this involves going to sleep around the same time each night. This can be difficult if you work odd hours, or if you like to spend your weekends differently than you do your weekdays. However, establishing a schedule is one of the best ways you can increase the likelihood that your body will fall asleep on time.

Dealing with grief is difficult enough on its own without being compounded by a lack of sleep. By making sure you get enough sleep, you will help yourself begin the healing process without adding to your pain and stress with chronic sleeplessness.

Photo Credit: Pexels

Sara Bailey is a widow. She writes about loss as a way to help her heal and to offer hope to others who’ve suffered a loss. You can connect with her at info@thewidow.net
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