With sudden deadlines situations you have no control over your job can quickly become extremely overwhelming So its natural that you cant wait to go home and go to bed But when you do go to bed all you do is toss and turn and you cant fall asleep due to insomnia caused by job stress
The problem is that we dont leave our jobs behind
And thats not the way it has to be no matter how stressful your job is When you get home you should be able to leave your work behind Especially when you want to fall asleep
Going through things from work in your mind wont help you do your job better But sleep will One of the side effects of sleep deprivation is that its even harder to cope with stress Thus the wheel becomes even harder to break So it becomes inevitable to tackle this problem and find a solution for insomnia caused by job stress
Luckily there are several answers to this problem
How stressful is your job
Jobs are stressful but some jobs are more stressful than others For example serving in the military might come close to the top Not only do some of these people suffer from insomnia but they also sometimes suffer from PTSD And in order to feel better they might need a change of environment Luckily there are experts at arranging relocation for service members that can help them out
However if you are not a service member dont forget that it doesnt make your stress any less important Even though there might be more stressful jobs out there your perception of your job is what matters and what you can use as a solution
Studying can be stressful too especially if youve returned to education as an adult and are balancing it with your job Some studies are more stressful than others too For example if youre considering how to become a mental health counselor be prepared for the pressures of both your studies and the job itself
Always keep in mind that youre more important than your job Especially when the day gets hectic No matter how much you try you dont have to show that youre competent at the risk of your health
Your diligence and responsibility dont have to come at the expense of your peace Instead find another source of this It can come from holding on to any positive aspect of your job rather than self deprecating thoughts
Mindfulness
Even though the word implies that your mind is full when you practice mindfulness its quite the opposite Actually you try to silence all the useless noise in your head and focus on whats happening at the moment And it doesnt even have to be something soothing like the sound of the wind It can be the sound of a copy machine or an ACU Thats why you can practice it at work
Your point of focus can be what youre doing at the moment so you can actually be productive If youre reaching for a stapler you should notice it For example Im raising my hand and Im taking a stapler And its as easy as that
But it takes practice When you notice your mind going somewhere else try to gently change the focus again And this will be especially challenging as well as important when the stressful part of a work day comes
As a result most people get tense when this happens So notice the effects of the stress Are you tense in your shoulders Is your breath shorter Notice it and keep the focus on that As a result the thoughts that lead to this will dissolve eventually
And most importantly this tension is what youre bringing home to your bed So in order to cure insomnia caused by job stress practice mindfulness during your work day and while commuting And of course before going to sleep
Herbal tea
A lot of people take chemicals either to stay awake or to go to sleep However its important to break the chemical insomnia cycle Luckily there are herbs that can help you calm down and prepare you for sleep
There are natural remedies that can be helpful
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Valerian tea is great before sleep as it can reduce anxiety relax you and improve your sleep
Lemon balm tea can also calm your nervous system and give you a night of good healthy sleep
Chamomile tea can gently soothe and calm you down
It goes without saying that you should avoid coffee after 6 PM Also if you happen to drink more than one or two coffees a day you might want to consider changing that habit
PMR
Progressive muscle relaxation is a non pharmacological method that has numerous benefits It reduces anxiety and stress in muscles and has helped numerous people in treating insomnia In order to perform it you need to do a body scan from head to feet
Basically you go through every muscle group in your body and squeeze the muscle for 15 seconds Afterward you slowly release for about 30 seconds
Develop healthier habits
There might be multiple causes of insomnia caused by job stress depending on the person So if one solution doesnt work you should definitely try combining it with another one What will definitely help you is to develop healthier habits
Exercise helps relax your body and mind However you shouldnt do it before sleep as it will make you feel awake
Why not yoga your way to better sleep It takes just 5 minutes before going to bed and the effects are amazing
Looking at cellphones and computer screens keeps us awake so avoid doing it later in the day
Find a healthier way to be responsible and to remember your tasks like writing down what you need to do
Find out what stops you from going to bed at the same time each evening You might realize its just a force of habit
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The best solution for insomnia caused by job stress might be meditation
It combines mindfulness breathing techniques and it will help you become aware of unhealthy habits that are keeping you awake But note that meditation will either make you sleepy or awake it depends on you
Practice it just before sleep or a couple of hours before In the long run it will help you relieve stress While it does take time its more than worth it
Get Help
If you are struggling with sleep issues in spite of your best efforts to self diagnose and treat your sleep issues you simply need help from qualified sleep specialists trained to help improve your sleep Please visit your local sleep clinic If you live in Alaska click on the link below to connect with a professional sleep specialist Alaska Sleep Clinic
