It can be annoying when lying in bed at night and not being able to sleep. Feeling frustrated or worried about how you will feel the next day only makes it harder to fall asleep. This pattern can lead to you feeling a sense of doom about sleep and your bed becomes a place of frustration rather and rejuvenation.

Control (referred to as “stimulus control” by psychologists) works with you to break the connection between feeling frustrated when lying in bed. If you have insomnia (whether short-term or long-term), take advantage of the following sleep enhancing techniques to improve your sleep routine and break this connection:   

• Set a regular bedtime and rise time and do your best to be consistent with them. 
• Only use your bed for sleep (or sickness or sex). No reading, TV or other screens, or any other activities while in bed.  
• Don’t go to bed before your set bedtime, even if you are feeling tired. If you are not feeling sleepy at your set bedtime, don’t go to bed. Wait until you are sleepy.   
• Leave your bed and sleeping area if not asleep 20 minutes after turning off the lights. Return to bed only when sleepy. Follow the same steps if you wake up during the night and don’t fall back to sleep within 20 minutes.   
• When out of bed, do something relaxing (ex., read, knit, meditate) in a dim lit room. Avoid TV or other screens. 
• In the morning, don’t stay in bed past your rise time. 
• Try to avoid napping. If you need to nap, make it short (10-20 minutes) and finish your nap before 3:00 pm.