The Art of Better Sleep: Small Steps to Take to Help You Fall Asleep and Stay Asleep
Do you find yourself tossing and turning at night? Do you struggle with quieting the mind when the world becomes quiet outside? Does the prospect of a restful night’s sleep feel out of reach?
As an art therapist specializing in sleep disorders, I've often wondered: What are ways that we can get better sleep? How can simple, art-inspired practices help us achieve the rest our bodies and minds crave? How can we help the over 30% of the population that struggles with falling asleep or staying asleep?
In this blog post, I’ll explore a few small, yet powerful steps you can start with to improve your sleep quality and awaken each day feeling refreshed and revitalized!
Why is sleep so important, and yet, so overlooked?
Research continuously shows us that sleep plays a huge role in maintaining and promoting our physical and mental health. Since I am a licensed art therapist and licensed mental health counselor, I can speak to the emotional side of the research that we see for the importance of sleep.
Emotional Regulation: Getting to sleep and staying asleep helps regulate our emotions. You might be reading this sentence and thinking, "Well, duh, I feel cranky and grouchy if I don’t get enough sleep," but it goes beyond that. Not getting enough sleep or staying asleep can cause us to not only feel irritable but also increase our difficulty in managing stress. Sleep research helps regulate our little amygdala (that tiny center of the brain that helps us process and understand our emotions).
Attention + Decision Making: Sleep is truly important to help us with all things related to our cognitive functioning: attention, concentration, memory, and making small or big decisions. Sleep research underscores that insufficient rest and frequent interruptions impair our performance, resulting in slower reaction times, decreased accuracy in projects, and greater difficulty accomplishing tasks.
Big Brain Health: When we sleep, our brain undergoes internal workings for improving our overall brain health, like clearing out toxins and consolidating memories! Without thorough sleep, we are at higher risk for neurodegenerative diseases.
Stress Response: Sleep plays a role in the body's ability to manage and recover from daily stress. Adequate sleep will support a healthy stress response system, while sleep deprivation can lead to heightened stress levels and increased susceptibility to stress-related disorders.
Quality of Life: As you might have already guessed, good quality sleep can provide us better overall quality of life and well-being. It enhances energy levels, mood, productivity, and the ability to engage in daily activities effectively.
Tips on getting to sleep and staying asleep:
Whenever we want to move forward and create change, we must sometimes start by working backwards. Break out that journal or sketchbook and write down the answers to some of these questions:
What does your bedroom say about sleep? Is it a sanctuary? Is it stressful? Does it bring distractions? Do you like you bedsheets/pillows? Do you look forward to retreating to your bedroom at the end of the day? For those that work from home, do you put away your work computer and ‘close out’ your work space for the remainder of the day? If your bedroom could speak, what would it say? What does it need?
Do you use light and sound to your advantage? Are you someone that enjoys the buzz of a fan at night to not only keep you cool by circulating air, but also create nice background noise? Do you use a noise machine to help block out other noises (like your cat scratching at your door at 3am asking for the next meal 4 hours too early)? Can you switch out harsh overhead lights with pixie lights or lamps with warm bulbs? Do you have curtains to help block out the sun if it enters your room too early?
Crafting the Consistent Pre-Sleep Ritual
Now that we have collected some data on what the room feels like right now, what about checking out what the 1-2 hours look like before your head hits the pillow. Continuing in your journal, write down the following:
What activities help you unwind and relax before bed? Consider activities that bring you a sense of calm and peace.
How do you currently wind down after a busy day? Explore your current routine and its effectiveness in preparing you for sleep. Do screens (watching videos like ASMR, calming music, texting friends, watching TikTok, scrolling on social media) help or hinder you winding down?
Are there any thoughts or worries that often keep you awake at night? Journaling about these concerns can help clear your mind- and make sure to bring these big questions and topics up in your therapy session so you don’t have to go through this alone!
What would your ideal pre-sleep routine look like? Imagine a routine that promotes relaxation and prepares you for a restful night. Channel your inner zen and let yourself dream what would be the ‘most ideal’ routine for yourself.
Have you ever considered approaching the hour before you sleep as if the power went out? Imagine it's like a stormy night where all the lights suddenly go out. No TV, no phone scrolling. Instead, you might play cards by candlelight, enjoy a bedtime snack, or engage in conversation with family members. It's a scenario where your options are intentionally limited. What if you implemented a "Power Out" routine before bed? Could these activities help reduce your screen time and promote relaxation? Take a moment to envision how this intentional downtime could create a peaceful transition to sleep.
What creative outlets bring you peace? Whether it's painting, drawing, writing, or crafting, artistic expression can be a powerful tool for relaxation and self-discovery. Engaging in creative activities during the day not only allows you to unwind and destress but also channels your thoughts and emotions into tangible forms. These creative outlets not only enrich your daily life but can also pave the way for more restful nights. By dedicating time to artistic pursuits during the day, you give your mind a chance to unwind and your emotions a channel for expression.
How about the time you spend outside during the day? Exposure to natural light during the day helps regulate our circadian rhythms, which control our sleep-wake cycle. Morning sunlight signals to our bodies that it's time to be awake and alert, synchronizing our internal clock and potentially improving sleep quality at night. Additionally, sunlight exposure suppresses the production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for sleepiness, ensuring that melatonin levels rise in the evening to promote deeper, more restorative sleep. Outdoor activities like walking, jogging, gardening, or simply sitting in the shade can also contribute to better sleep by reducing the time it takes to fall asleep, increasing total sleep time, and enhancing sleep efficiency. How do you plan to incorporate nature into your sleep routine?
Now, make sure this doesn’t feel like a chore!
It can be daunting looking at your routines and starting to think about ways to change it and make that change last. But why don’t we approach this by remembering that change doesn’t always have to come overnight (pun intended) and that there are fun, whimsical little ways to create small steps for change starting tonight?
Create the ultimate cozy environment: I’m talking bedding, sheets, pillows, breathable PJs, your emotional support water bottle, a small cup of tea before bed!
Add soothing elements like aromatherapy with calming (not overwhelming) scents or a white noise machine for ambient sounds. Spotify and YouTube have great playlists for calming rain sounds!
Wind down with activities you enjoy, such as reading a book, listening to calming music, playing a card game with someone (AKA not an intense game of UNO), or practicing gentle yoga stretches.
Use sleep-tracking apps or journals to monitor your sleep patterns and adjust your routine accordingly.
Try guided meditation or relaxation apps to help you unwind before bedtime. I love using Yoga with Adriene!
Engage in artistic hobbies like drawing, painting, or crafting earlier in the day to reduce stress and promote relaxation.
Spend time outdoors during the day to benefit from natural light exposure, which helps regulate your circadian rhythm!
Keep a dream journal by your bedside as a special place to capture the "glimmer moments" of your day — those little gems you want to remember for yourself. If you wake up during the night, jot down your dreams too! This journal is your personal space to preserve and reflect on the beautiful details of your waking and sleeping adventures!
Establish regular bedtime and wake-up times, even on weekends, to regulate your body's internal clock.
Create a delicious cup of tea one-two hours before bed. It’s so nice to promote relaxation in this way, especially when you pick a flavor you really enjoy and pair it with a snack after dinner!
Art Therapy and Sleep Disorders
Art therapy provides a powerful outlet for individuals grappling with sleep disorders by tapping into creative expression as a therapeutic tool! It's a way to express feelings and fears that come up during sleep troubles. When you make art, like drawing or painting, it lets you show these emotions without using words. This can be really helpful for dealing with insomnia or nightmares. With guidance from an art therapist, you can learn to relax and be more mindful, which can improve how well you sleep.
Art therapy is also great for understanding and dealing with dreams. Dreams often have hidden meanings that are hard to explain with words alone. When you create art based on your dreams—using colors, shapes, and images—you can explore these deeper meanings. This creative process helps you understand recurring themes and unresolved feelings from your dreams. It's a way to connect with your emotions and heal from them, making it easier to understand yourself when you're awake.
Walk and Talk Therapy for Sleep Disorders
Walk and talk therapy allows you to take therapy OUTDOORS! You and your therapist get to be outside surrounded by nature, which helps release feel-good chemicals in your brain, an in turn, can lower stress and anxiety—things that often mess with your sleep. Walking also boosts your circulation and helps you relax, which can improve how well you sleep. Being outside in a peaceful setting makes it easier to talk openly with your therapist about what's on your mind. It's a chance to explore what might be bothering you and affecting your sleep. By combining movement with therapy, walk and talk sessions give you a holistic way to deal with sleep issues and feel better overall.
Above all else, please remember that sleep evolves with us as we grow. It varies depending on our environment, genetics, preferences, and life experiences. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to sleep - it's unique to each individual. Embrace the journey of discovering what works best for you and prioritize what helps you feel rested and rejuvenated.
Wanting more support with sleep? Struggling with sleep disorders like insomnia, restless legs syndrome (RLS), nightmares, or other sleep-related issues? Are vivid dreams keeping you awake at night, and you need a place to reflect? Please reach out to Labyrinth Art and Wellness located in Baltimore County, Maryland. Kristy Leone, LCPC, LCPAT, ATR-BC specializes in helping overthinkers by day and nocturnals by night. You don't have to face sleep challenges alone - help is here for you when you need it! Head on over to my Art Therapy and my Walk-and-Talk Therapy webpage! Ready to learn more about how to begin art therapy? Fill out my contact form here!
Kristy Leone, LCPC, LCPAT, ATR-BC
Founder and Art Therapist of Labyrinth Art and Wellness, LLC
