When you lose someone who was important to you, it can feel like the world has collapsed. Grief can have a profound impact on your sleep. It's not uncommon for people who are grieving to experience disrupted sleep due to the changes in their body chemistry and hormone levels that accompany grief. If you've been experiencing poor sleep since losing someone important or know someone who has been coping with this issue, read on for some ideas about how to get back into a restful routine again!
The Impact of Grief
Sleep deprivation is a risk factor for depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions. Grief can make it hard to get good sleep, which in turn can make grieving even harder. This is a vicious cycle that can keep you stuck in grief—and feeling miserable.
Many people think they're not getting enough sleep when they have insomnia or trouble falling asleep, but actually the problem might be too much sleep—not enough wakefulness in between the hours spent sleeping. One way we know this is true is by looking at people who are chronically sleepy: whether due to genetics or lifestyle factors like stress or alcohol consumption. These people often find themselves sleeping longer than normal amounts of time each night yet still feeling tired during the day (a phenomenon known as hypersomnia).
If you are sleeping poorly, grief may be playing a role. Understanding the connection between grief and disrupted sleep can help you start to find your way back to restful nights again.
Sleep is a crucial part of our lives—but it’s not just about resting or getting more rest than we need; it’s also an important way for us to process emotion. Grief can cause major disruptions in sleep patterns and quality, which in turn can further impact our ability to process emotion and manage our grief. This blog post will explore why this happens, what some common symptoms of poor sleep are for those experiencing grief (or some other stressful situation), how these issues can be addressed by professionals who specialize in helping people through difficult times, and alternative ways we can approach healing our own pain that do not require medication or professional assistance.
On Your Body
Sleep is a basic human need. Without it, our bodies and minds suffer. Sleep is important for physical health—our muscles and organs regenerate during sleep, which helps us to function at full capacity the next day. We also need sleep in order to maintain mental health: studies have shown that people who are deprived of enough sleep are more likely to feel anxious and depressed, as well as make poor decisions they wouldn't otherwise make when well-rested.
People who are grieving can find themselves in a particularly vulnerable position when it comes getting quality shut-eye—not only do they lack the opportunity for respite from their emotional struggles (as one would get during normal sleeping hours), but also because grief itself impacts how individuals experience their surroundings. The result? For many people who are grieving (especially those without support), there's a good chance you're struggling with something like insomnia or even apnea related to your grief journey.
First Steps Towards Improving Sleep
As you begin to work towards improving your sleep, it’s important to start with a bedtime rhythm. This rhythm should consist of activities that allow you to transition from your busy day into a resting state. A great way of doing this is by reading a book or listening to music before bed. If possible, try keeping this time free from technology as well (no texting, emails or social media).
Another key element for establishing good sleep hygiene is creating an environment conducive for restful slumber by setting up what I like to call a “sleep sanctuary”: an area where only relaxation and calmness exist—and one that supports healthy circadian rhythms! Your sleep sanctuary can be as simple as shutting off all phones and televisions while in bed so they don't distract from the goal at hand (which is falling asleep), dimming lights and turning down thermostats so they don't keep you awake by constantly reminding your body that it needs more heat than it actually does during this time of day; having clean sheets; sleeping on comfortable pillows; wearing pajamas at night instead of sweats/sweatpants/cotton shirts because these fabrics tend not only make us feel warm but also uncomfortable when we're trying hard enough already just not thinking about everything else going on outside our minds (or maybe still thinking about them.)
Everyone has their own way of winding down before bed, but the same general principles apply to most. It’s helpful to start at least 30 minutes before you plan on going to sleep. Try not to do any work or use electronics, as these activities will keep you alert and prevent your brain from shutting down for the night.
You should also avoid eating within two hours of bedtime if possible, as digestion can keep you up later than normal. And although alcohol may help you fall asleep quickly, it disrupts REM sleep—the most restful type—and can leave you feeling groggy once morning comes around again.
If you still feel like something is missing in your routine, think about adding some mindfulness exercises into the mix! Deep breathing or meditation are great ways to relax both body and mind so that we are better able to prepare ourselves for restful slumber at night time.
Explore the Benefits of Essential Oils
Did you know? Essential oils have many benefits such as:
- helping you sleep better at night;
- improving your mood during the day;
Essential oils can help you relax and get a good night's sleep.
I commonly recommend essential oils to my those who are having trouble sleeping, or who are experiencing stress, anxiety or depression. This is one of the ways I help them begin to return to healthy sleep habits. Essential oils provide aromatherapy benefits that can be beneficial in reducing anxiety and promoting relaxation before bedtime. If you’re interested in trying some essential oils for yourself (and live in the US),
please complete the request for samples.
Diffuse Essential Oils in the Bedroom
One of the simplest ways to help you sleep better is by diffusing essential oils in your bedroom. A great diffuser should have an electrostatic plate and not heat. The advantage of this type of diffuser is that it doesn't produce steam, which can cause respiratory issues for some people with allergies or asthma. Also heat breaks down oils thus changing their properties.
When choosing an essential oil for sleep, consider lavender or roman chamomile. You can also try some other calming agents like vetiver or wood oils.
Essential oils have many health benefits. They can be used to improve sleep, reduce stress, treat anxiety and depression and more. You can add essential oils to your bath water or diffuser but you could also consider applying them directly to the skin.
Try natural products
For many, grief affects the amount of time it takes to fall and the quality of sleep. While the use of medication has its place, it's important to consider natural treatments that can help you sleep without any side effects.
doTERRA Serenity™ Restful Complex Softgels have become a part of my evening rhythm. The ingredients in this softgel—lavender essential oil, L-theanine (found in green tea), and other extracts from lemon balm, passionflower, and German chamomile—have been shown to improve sleep quality.*
L-theanine has been shown to improve sleep efficiency, which refers to the amount of time you are actually asleep during a period of rest. It also helps reduce the time it takes for someone's eyes to close once they have turned off their lights.* Both a fast time to fall asleep and efficient sleep are important for healthy sleeping patterns.
Adaptiv Calming Blend Capsule have became an important option to me since the last month of my spouse's life. These capsules have a blend of CPTG® essential oils Lavender, Coriander, Wild Orange, and Fennel along with Sceletium, GABA, and Ahiflower®.They were created to address stress and tension, as well as feelings of anxiety—all common in those who are grieving. For me, one of the biggest challenges has been quieting my thoughts. Because it works by decreasing the activity of neurons in the brain and central nervous system, GABA is sometimes called "the brakes of the brain."* By calming the brain and nerves, GABA can ease mental and physical stress.*
Develop a Sleep Rhythm/Ritual
When you're grieving, your sleep will likely be interrupted and inconsistent. You may even wake up feeling like you haven't slept at all. To help get back to a normal sleeping pattern, establish a routine and develop a sleep rhythm. A sleep rhythm is a set of activities that you do in the same order every night before bedtime, like meditation or reading for 30 minutes with dim lights or soft music playing in the background. This acts as an anchor to help bring your mind into a relaxed state so that it can transition from being awake to falling asleep more easily.
A few examples of common sleep rituals include:
Meditation - This can be done lying down or sitting up with your eyes closed; either way is fine! Focus on taking deep breaths while releasing tension from muscles throughout your body one by one until all tension has been released before beginning meditation again later on during this process!
Reading - Read something inspirational (or not!) depending upon what feels right on any given night since everyone's needs are different when it comes down making sure we're getting enough rest each day! Remember though: silence can also be very powerful too sometimes so try experimenting with both options just see what works best for yourself tonight :)
There is no question that grief can take its toll on your sleep. The good news is that improving your sleep doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. I hope this post has given you some ideas about how to start getting better rest again and feeling better because of it!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.