When you’re facing divorce and the stress it brings, you might be having trouble getting sleep, and that can increase your stress exponentially. However, it is possible to get better sleep during your divorce, even if you’re facing anxiety or depression.

Tips to Improve Your Sleep During Divorce

Divorce is a rollercoaster of emotions, and it comes to a peak at night. Alone and surrounded by darkness, your brain starts to imagine every possible scenario. This causes insomnia and, at the very least, poor sleep.

But there are some ways you can turn off your worries before you turn out the light:

1. Stay away from sugar, caffeine, and vices.
   Throughout the night, your body uses energy to repair itself and is synced with your sleep. This means that constantly waking up or getting jittery because of the foods or drugs you have during the day can severely impact your sleep, especially on top of the stress divorce brings. Even if you don’t want to give up your morning coffee or donut, try to avoid sugar, caffeine, and other stimulants like nicotine within a couple hours of bedtime.
2. Avoid blue light within four hours of bedtime.
   Many people going through divorce are tempted to check their phone for updates all throughout the day, or perhaps use their phone for entertainment and blow off steam before bedtime. To get better sleep during divorce, opt for a book or journal instead. Avoiding the blue light technology gives off resets your body and allows your brain to relax, improving your sleep.
3. Meditate and take slow, deep breaths.
   When you’re facing divorce, how often do you really focus on breathing? When we’re stressed, we tend to take shallower breaths as anxiety and fear overwhelm us. Instead, try lying in your bed and meditating calmly, listening to some soothing music, and focusing on taking deep breaths. Deep breathing is regenerative and improves your sleep during divorce. If you don’t feel confident meditating on your own, don’t worry. There are a number of apps to help with the process, including Calm, Headspace, and Peloton’s “Power of Sleep” program (Chelsea Jackson Roberts offers particularly effective meditation guidance.) 
4. Self-talk to avoid losing sleep during your divorce
   A large part of conquering your racing mind during your divorce is to recognize that you have power over your thoughts. Positive and uplifting self-talk can go a long way to helping you regain peace of mind and improve your sleep.

Try repeating phrases like:

— It’s time for bed; I’m not going to think about my fears right now.

— Everything is scarier at night.

— I am safe and peaceful.

— I am strong.

— I am calm, and everything is the way it should be.

The more you can repeat these mantras to yourself, the more you will accept them and avoid losing sleep over worries about your divorce.

Better Sleep is a Game Changer

Evidence even suggests that improving the quality of sleep is more important than increasing overall hours of sleep. One critical way to reduce anxiety during divorce is to work with a divorce lawyer you trust to watch out for your best interests throughout the process. The right attorney will keep you informed and prepared to face whatever’s ahead so you won’t have to worry about the unknown. 

This article offers tips from the Better Sleep Council and explains how ignoring sleep issues can harm both physical and emotional health, and offers additional tips for improving sleep quality.