Step 2: If you do find yourself worrying in bed, try the following:
Write your thoughts down on paper (keep a notepad beside your bed). Then you can tell yourself that you can act on the thought tomorrow, if it’s still worrying you.
Concentrate on breathing deeply, counting to 3 as you inhale, and counting to 3 as you exhale. Note: see the Relaxation Spotlight for a guided breathing exercise.
Reduce your time in bed slightly, so that the time in bed matches the time you are actually usually asleep (eg, 7.5 hours instead of 8 hours). You will only need to do this for a few nights. The best way to do this is to answer the following questions:
What time do I usually go to bed (e.g., 11pm):
How long has it been taking me to go to sleep (e.g. 60 minutes):
For example, if it takes Glen 60 minutes to go to sleep after he goes to bed at 11pm, then he would restrict his time in bed and go to bed at midnight. The important thing is to still keep the wake-up time the same every day. Doing this creates a ‘sleep debt’ – your body will start to crave sleep. Then you can gradually increase your time in bed again every few nights (e.g., to 11.45, then 11.30) – similar to how we did this with pacing.
Just note: Ensure you are careful when performing certain tasks (eg, driving or operating machinery).
