Sleep is something that is absolutely relevant to all of us as human beings, as we are more than likely aware, yet it seems to be something that more of us than not have trouble with. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who, at some point or another in life, hasn’t had some issues with their sleep, and it’s frustrating to consider how many of us could seriously benefit from improved sleep but struggle to determine how.
I’m certainly not an expert when it comes to sleeping, and I’ve had some difficulty with it as of late. Prior to being diagnosed with Lyme disease, sleep was something I had absolutely no issues with. I could sleep anywhere, at just about any time; now I have issues with staying asleep throughout the night, and, further, falling asleep at times.
My sleep isn’t terrible, but it has improved in the last little while thanks to a small change I’ve recently made in my evening routine. The majority of television I watch deals with heavy, violent subject matter; Vikings and all Viking-related series aren’t exactly soothing, but evenings are the only time I watch television, typically before I go to bed. I’ve noticed that sometimes when I have difficulty falling asleep, it’s because my mind is replaying epic battle scenes in the show I just watched, so I figured I should probably avoid watching anything riveting or violent right before I go to bed. What I’ve been doing lately involves watching some sort of Viking show for about an hour, then, 30 minutes or so before I go to bed, I change it and watch something much more lighthearted, like Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Superstore or The Office.
By swapping out 30 minutes of television material for something less intense, I’ve been able to actually wind down and relax before I climb into bed, and it’s made falling asleep a little easier. Try it out yourself.
Photo by Mollie Sivaram on Unsplash
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