People engage in a handful of mindless habits that can prevent them from getting a good night's rest.  
Some of these habits include:
 
1.      Consuming caffeine after 3:00pm 
2.     Consuming alcohol 
3.     Engaging in screen activity 
4.     Eating a large meal close to bedtime 
5.     Exercising an hour before bed
 
Furthermore, diet and exercise can affect sleep. If you consume a large meal, an excessive amount of caffeine, or alcohol in the late afternoon or early evening, your body may be unable to reach a relaxed enough state to fall asleep and/or stay asleep. Your stomach may feel full, your mind could possibly be wired or racing, leaving your body in an alert state before bedtime. In addition, exercise can also get in the way of getting a good night's rest if practiced during evening hours. Exercise stimulates both the mind and body and can give you a boost of energy. If you would like to do exercise at the end of the day, you should try to do this at least 3-4 hours before you anticipate going to bed. 
 
If practiced near bedtime, utilizing screens such as phone, computer, and/or television can stimulate the mind.  If you are immersed in a show on television or engaged in a conversation with a friend, your mind may be more alert. The same can be said for working on your laptop in bed. Even if you are doing this during the day, your body is going to associate being awake and alert while in bed. Our bodies pick up on routines easily and therefore, if you work in the same place you want to sleep, your body is going to become accustomed to being awake when you are in this location. Also, the light that comes from these screens can delay the release or reduce the amount of melatonin in the body which can lead to the inability of falling asleep. Therefore, it is important to shut off all screens approximately 1-2 hours before you wish to fall asleep. 
 
In order to get a more restful sleep, it may be useful to:
 
1.     Read an hour before bed which can allow the mind to relax and decompress from daily stressors. 
2.     Do not have caffeine after 3pm since caffeine is a stimulant which can keep you awake or interrupt your sleep. 
3.     Reduce your screen time to at least 1.5 hours before you go to bed because staring at the screen can keep your mind racing and your eyes stimulated. 
4.     Wash your face, brush your teeth, and get comfortable in a good position in bed an hour before you go to sleep. 
5.     Develop a consistent routine so your body knows what to expect each night.
6.     Avoid large meals and alcohol later in the day. If your stomach is full, you will not be able to rest comfortably.
7.     Exercise regularly but be sure to not do this at least 3-4 hours before you are ready to go to sleep.
8.     Try to wake at the same time every day, even if you have off from work. 
 

Remind yourself that the anxious feelings will pass, similarly to clouds passing in the sky. 
I find that this can be a useful technique to utilize when combatting anxiety. When you are feeling anxious, overwhelmed, and the panic sets in, it is important to just close your eyes, take a deep breath, and remind yourself that these feelings will pass like the clouds in the sky. Try and think of a time when it has happened before and how you got through it. Remind yourself that as scary it was, it passed, and you survived. Repeat to yourself “this will pass, I will be okay.” As you calm your mind and nervous system, the physical symptoms will begin to subside as well. 
 
Anxiety is when you feel nervous and anticipate the worst in a situation. You may have anxiety over an upcoming event, a test, a relationship, or being alone. However, anxiety is not limited to just these examples. You can feel anxious about anything! You may know that you are experiencing anxiety if your heart or mind are racing, you feel sick to your stomach, you are unable to catch your breath, and/or you find that you cannot focus. 

​Tips for better sleep:
 
1.     Reading an hour before bed can allow the mind to relax and decompress from daily stressors. 
2.   Do not have caffeine after 3pm since caffeine is a stimulant which can keep you awake or interrupt your sleep. 
3.     Reduce your screen time to at least 1.5 hours before you go to bed because staring at the screen can keep your mind racing and your eyes stimulated. 
4.    Wash your face, brush your teeth, and get comfortable in a good position in bed a half hour before you go to sleep. 
5.     Develop a consistent routine so your body knows what to expect each night.
6.     Avoid large meals and alcohol later in the day. If your stomach is full, you will not be able to rest comfortably.
7.    Exercise regularly but be sure to not do this at least 2-3 hours before you are ready to go to sleep.
8.     Try to wake at the same time every day, even if you have off from work. 

4 Tips for Coping with Depressive Episodes
 
1.   Share your thoughts and feeling with a close friends or family member. Sharing your feelings in this safe space will enable a release of emotions and allow you to feel heard.
2.   I find that changing your environment can help tremendously. Try going for a walk and engaging with nature. Being in nature has been known to boost the relaxation neurotransmitter called GABA. 
3.   Become more self-aware about providing your body with the proper nutrition and hydration it needs. If your body lacks certain nutrients, this could potentially be feeding your depressive feelings.
4. I believe that stimulating the vagus nerve can aid in reducing depressive symptoms. The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body and can be stimulated by engaging in a variety of activities, such as gargling, singing, laughing, and receiving a foot massage. 

​Abusive self-talk consists of talking poorly internally to yourself. For example, abusive self-talk may sound like, “I am not good enough to get any job,” or “I am useless,” or “I will end up alone.” This abusive self-talk can lead to an increase in anxiety, depression, and emotional self-harm. Someone may engage in abusive self-talk for a variety of different reasons but not limited to having a low self-esteem or low self-worth of oneself, experienced some sort of trauma in childhood or even adulthood, were in some sort of an abusive relationship where the voice in your head may resemble the way you were spoken to by a parent, teacher, or other member of authority. 
 
The first step in resolving this issue and treating abusive self-talk is to become aware of that inner voice. Once you are aware, you have more control over recognizing the need to change. Then, question yourself, would you talk this way to a friend or someone you care about? Additionally, it may be useful to investigate the cause and/or moment that you started feeling more down and being hard on yourself. Try to explore the origin in which you started speaking to yourself in this negative way. Furthermore, psychotherapy is a very useful and effective tool. If you are not ready to start psychotherapy, then it may be useful to write down positive affirmations and place them throughout your home. Place them on your mirror, next to your bed, and by your door. Remind yourself of the positive attributes that you have and all that you are capable of. As you become more aware of the internal self-harm you are engaging in, you can work on transforming your inner critic towards being a more warm, kind, and accepting tone.