How do I stop worrying about not getting enough sleep?

Worrying about not getting enough sleep just makes your sleep move further away. Take a moment to relax. If you are in bed and you can't sleep, get out of bed and go do something - make a cuppa; read a book in the lounge - try and stay away from computers and electronic devices as the light they emit can interfere with your sleep signals...although I have to admit solitaire tends to lull me to sleep. Tell yourself that your sleeping pattern will improve as you work on your sleep rituals which will prompt your mind that it is now time to go to sleep. Check online for sleep hints.

The key is to not worry about it. If you didn't have enough sleep previously, know that it's okay, it's normal, you can have more sleep today. They key is to treat it as something that is normal so that you wouldn't worry about it. Because the more you worry, the more you won't be able to sleep and it'll become a cycle loop.

I can personally identify with this issue, and I know that for those who worry it can be a stressful situation. So, how does one stop worrying about not getting enough sleep? To be honest, I find the concept of worrying a good sign. The reason for such is that it may be deduced that if a person is concern about not sleeping enough is because that person is concerned about their healthy and well-being. If such is the case, this is a good thing. Being concerned about one's health and quality of life is a positive factor and one that should be present at all times. Not only do we become more aware of our bodily functions as well as mental and sentimental stability, but we also focus our efforts on improvement. Although efforts may be genuine, not a lot of people may be able to efficiently satisfy their drive of health conservation (in this case, sleep the minimum required amount of hours). When this occurs, our health concerns (a positive factor), become a source of worry (a negative factor). Once we begin to worry, not only do we feel bad the entire day, but we also program our bodies to high levels of stress, which in turn affects out bodies and healthy to a greater and deeper level. In other, more simplistic, words, it is a vicious cycle. So, I would recommend that you try to first evaluate your feelings of worry, and begin to understand that your reasons to feel worry are understandable and even a good quality of self preservation. In doing so, you will be able to manage your stress a lot better. Once you are able to manage ad understand the source of your worry, your worry turns back into a concern that is more manageable, which will allow you to focus on finding solutions. Secondly, I would try to vent my negative emotions by performing an activity that relaxes me before bed. For me that is drinking chamomile tea and listening to audio books on personal growth after taking a warm bath. In doing so, I am able to distract my mind from the feelings of concern for not been able to sleep enough, which usually inflict with how fast I am able to fall asleep. Lastly, I have found it helpful to schedule (yes, schedule) my sleeping hours. As busy as this society is, it is important that we not only schedule our working hours, but also our personal hours, which I believe include sleep. Set a time in which you go to bed by, and if your schedule is just too busy, try to arrange your schedule in which a way that you are allowed to sleep an adequate amount of hours at night and are able to take a quick nap. Remember, a good night sleep will help you have a clearer, stable mind, which will in turn influence your thought process (again, a vicious but oh so lovely cycle). Cheers, Adsul

There are many ways to stop worrying about not getting enough sleep but you can try not looking at the time (clocks, watches, etc) because if you look at the time then you will start worrying about how much hours you have left to sleep which will cause you to stay up longer.

Sometimes worrying about not getting enough sleep can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. There's even something called sleep anxiety! A good way to stop worrying about it is to distract yourself by thinking about something else or doing something else. Whether it's making up stories in your mind, or getting up to do something (non-stimulating) like reading a book, writing in a journal, or having a cup of sleepy time tea, it can all be very helpful. Another way you could stop worrying is to practice mindful meditation. You can imagine you are laying in a field looking up in the sky, and that your thoughts are clouds. Then let thoughts pass through your mind, acknowledge them, and then let them float away. I hope this is helpful, and wishing you lots of zen in your future and good sleeps!

When you find yourself unable to sleep, keep in mind that your body and mind is already able to rest, even when you are just lying in bed. Just lying there, with your eyes closed, quietly, means a time to unwind and reset for your mind, so even if it takes a while to drift off into sleep, don’t let it stress you. Also if you experience your night as having been restful, you will actually feel more vitalized and energetic the next day. I wish you all the best and hope that this has been helpful to you!

If you get a good amount of sleeping hours each night, you should be fine. Go to bed early on some nights and just relax :) Sweet dreams!