Don't be afraid of your bed

Posted by Linda R.

Only a fellow insomniac would understand why a person might be afraid of his or her own bed! Ok, for those of you who have never tossed and turned, here's the explanation: A person who suffers from inability to fall (or stay) asleep may lie there for hours, worrying and fretting, glancing nervously at the clock and counting the hours until wakeup time. Bed becomes a place of worry and anxiety. Experts in sleep medicine (yes, it's a recognized specialty) have found a powerful solution. If you have not fallen asleep in about fifteen minutes, you must get out of bed. Go to the next room and read something boring or do a bit of routine drudgery like dusting. Then, when you're drowsy, get into bed and drift off to sleep. You may have to repeat this a few times at first, but be patient. The goal is to restore your bed and your bedroom as the place where you SLEEP, not where you worry. Oh yes, and stop using the bed to read or watch TV or talk with your partner about the budget. After a while, your bed will be your friend again.