reprinted from “Sleep Great for Life,” rated 5 stars on Amazon.com
by Rich Nilsen
One of the common behavioral reactions to stress can be an exaggeration of an existing habit. Maybe one of your responses is overeating, and you suddenly notice yourself eating way more than you usually do.
These will be important factors to keep a close eye on after you solve your sleep disorder. Insomnia can come back, but only if you let it. Be confident that you won’t let that happen, because you will have established a solid foundation. Your precious sleep life will not be built on shifting sands.
The following are some red flags to watch out. Feel free to add to this list based on your own experience.
- Muscular tension and physical pain
- Obsessive thoughts
- Closing yourself off from others
- Increased levels of bad habits – e.g. smoking, overeating.
- Tics – face, eyes, etc.
- Sweating
- Fatigue
- Increased need to urinate – often a sign of depression.
- Ulcers
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feeling overwhelmed with your workload
- Feeling overwhelmed with responsibilities
- Mood swings
- Lack of motivation
- Other [list your own] ________________
