Steps to deal with stress - Minding Your Head

During the day
• Try not to take naps
• Try not to think about sleep
too much
• Cut down on caffeine
• Be physically active
Before bed
• Have a regular bedtime routine
• Relax with a warm bath
• Avoid heavy meals for at least
two hours
• Avoid alcohol for at least three hours
• Switch the TV off half an hour before
you go to bed
• Set an alarm to avoid “have I slept
in?” panics. Surprisingly, having
a regular wake-up time is more
important than a regular bedtime.
To avoid clock-watching make sure
the clock is facing away from you.
Can’t sleep?
• Go to a different room for a while
and do something that’s not mentally
challenging
• Have a warm, milky, caffeinefree
drink
• Try a relaxation exercise (page 37-39)
• Don’t lie in or nap to compensate the
next day
Still can’t sleep?
Concerns often disrupt our sleep.
Try thinking about them, and what
you might do about them, during the
day. Writing them down before you
go to bed can also help you put them
out of your head. You could try
using the ‘Problem solving’ steps
(page 40-41) and the ‘My problem list’
(page 45-46).
Getting ready 12