Sleepless in Rapid City: relaxing your body and mind

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - Do you ever feel tired or restless? Like those nights of endless sleep will never end? Well, there may be a reason for that, one you’ve never even thought about.

If you ever feel like this, there are some ways to relax your mind and body long before you go to sleep - maybe just what you need to finally get a full 8 hours.

Sleepless nights are not uncommon for many people, whether it’s brought on by stress, anxiety, or even hunger; not getting enough sleep can affect more than just your day. Relaxing your body and mind before getting ready for bed can be crucial when it comes to falling asleep.

A healthy adult will need at least 7 hours of sleep per night if you notice yourself struggling to achieve that much- there may be more than one reason behind it- but there are also things you can do to help yourself out.

“Something that is helpful to quiet your active mind at night would be to have a transition time or wind down time before bed. Usually, that’s about an hour for most people. There’s really only two guidelines to that- one would be that you do something that’s mildly pleasant and you do something that is non-stimulating or non-activating for you,” says Carrie Bossman, a social worker.

These over-stimulating activities could include doing your bills or paying taxes, using a phone screen, or exercising too close to bedtime. These activities restimulate your brain, making it harder to fall asleep.

“It’s never a good idea to try to go to sleep, that’s something that tends to keep us awake. So, I think the intent in which you do something is very important. The most important thing to do if you can’t fall asleep if you’re laying in bed and you can’t fall asleep is to get out of bed and do something mildly pleasant or relaxing and then try to go back to bed again,” Bossman concludes.

Bossman recommends putting those screens away about an hour before bed, reading a book, or using visual imagery to help you relax.

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