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Kate
Welcome back. I'm Kate from Psych for Life®. We've all been there. You wind down for the night. Get yourself to bed on time and then find yourself laying there wide awake, twisting and turning in the sheets. So what do you do if you just can't fall asleep even though you're tired? The first step is not to stay in bed.

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Kate
The worst thing that can happen is if you start to associate your cozy bed with the anxiety of not being able to sleep. So if you find yourself still awake after 20 minutes in bed or your mind fills with anxiety and worries get out of bed and try a few relaxing activities until your worries have quieted and you feel sleepy again.

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Kate
If worrying is what is keeping you awake, try to journal for a bit. Studies have shown that just writing down your thoughts and feelings can alleviate anxiety, making it easier to fall asleep. In one study, researchers found that writing a to do list for what needs to be done the next day led to participants falling asleep faster. Reading can also be a great way to relax and make yourself more sleepy.

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Kate
Although you might want to try reading a book you've either already read before or is quite calming so you're not tempted to stay up late to see what happens next. You can also try to meditate for a few minutes. If you haven't used this practice before, you might want to try one of the many apps available that have guided meditations, especially designed to help you fall asleep.

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Kate
An alternative to meditation is called Box Breathing, where we're breathing in for four counts. Holding it at the top for four counts and breathing out for four counts. I'm going to demonstrate it for you and then we'll do it together.

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Kate
Now let's have you try in one, two, three, four. Hold. One, two, three, four. Out. 12, three, four. Great. How did that feel?

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Kate
When you feel relaxed and calm. Get back into bed and try to fall asleep again. Try not to stress yourself out. If it doesn't happen. Right away. Keep in mind, no one is perfect. Everyone has a sleepless night. Every once in a while. However, if after practicing some of these tips, you find that you're still unable to sleep.

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Kate
It might be time to consult a doctor.

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Kate
So here are our key takeaways. If you can't fall asleep. One Don't stay in bed to practice a few relaxing activities like reading, writing, or journaling. And number three, practice controlled breathing or meditation.

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Kate
In our next video, Rob is going to take us through what to do when we wake up in the middle of the night. See you there.