Notice negative self-talk

Recognizing negative beliefs that may be contributing to your sleepiness is often the first step in changing sleep habits. Negative thoughts can cause sleep disruption in a variety of ways.

Negative self-talk can take many forms, here are a few examples: "I'm not going to sleep a wink tonight."; "Why am I so terrible at falling asleep?"; "If I don't fall asleep soon, I won't be able to function at work tomorrow". Making a mental note of negative thinking patterns is an important first step toward positive change. It might be difficult to notice these ideas on your own. If you have a strong tendency toward negative self-talk, you may benefit from professional therapy. Or learn to recognize when you're being critical of yourself so you can start to stop. Take note of the things you say to yourself that you wouldn't say to a good friend or a child.