U.S. MILITARY H BOOK EXCERPT 7TH OF A SERIES

THE RESILIENT WARRIOR SLEEP HYGIENE

BY HEIKE SOMMER

Book Editor's Note: Featuring self-help, mental health, and mind and body tactics from a variety of sources — veterans, former and active U.S. Marines, Navy, Army Rangers, Green Berets, family members and caretakers — The Resilient Warrior is collaborative collection providing needed wisdom for complete well-being for all of us. The first step to thriving is surviving, and the first step to surviving is knowing how to get what you need, when you need it. The following excerpt of this essential self-help guide to living a healthy, resilient, fulfilled and better life is the seventh in a series that EP Magazine has featured over the last several months.

Make sound and healthy sleep a priority. I think of sleep as a pillar of mental health. Sleep deprivation is a torture method for good reason. Oftentimes, we contribute to sleep deprivation ourselves. Add in PTSD, from real torture and combat, or vicarious trauma to the mix, and sleep becomes a farfetched, seemingly impossible notion.

The obvious do's and don'ts to improve sleep: Laying off the screen time at least two hours before bedtime (More, if you can.) This gives your brain time to unwind and settle down before sleep. No alcohol in the evening. Alcohol turns into fat and sugar, and has a short halflife, meaning it will wake you up in the early morning hours. No cannabis. The use of cannabis might help you relax, but will not help you stay asleep.

Physical activity is important. Help your body to be tired by exercising in the earlier parts of the day and go for another walk after dinner.

Respect your sleeping space. Bedrooms are for sleep only. If you must work from home, do not use your bedroom if you have any sleep issues at all.

Investigate health concerns. Investigate any health concerns that might be affecting your quality of sleep. If you snore and wake up gasping for air, please get a sleep consultation with a specialist to rule out sleep apnea.

Meditation is great. If you can manage to be in the moment, there is no anxiety – anxiety happens in the past or future. Not everyone likes sitting meditations. it can be fun to meditate with family and friends. Movement meditations are another option.

Other tips: There are great apps for sleep, such as the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy app called CBT-I (among many others). Try natural sleeping solutions. Medications can be a good temporary solution for chronic insomnia. Sometimes, people develop anxiety about not sleeping, and it becomes a vicious cycle that needs to be broken. Natural solutions are a good first choice, like melatonin, valerian root, and ashwagandha. However, in cases with serious symptoms of PTSD, it might be a good idea to talk with your health care provider about a good and non-habit-forming sleeping medication, or even a hypnotic for the short term, if you are struggling with