Vivian’s Reviews > The Exhaustion Breakthrough: Unmask the Hidden Reasons You're Tired and Beat Fatigue for Good > Status Update

“Recognize that you’re ruminating, then distract yourself when the habit kicks in. Redirect your attention to an absorbing or engaging activity (such as exercise or an enjoyable hobby), then set problem-solving hours for later, when you can come back to the situation with a fresh perspective.“

“Strive for excellence, not perfection. Make sure your standards and goals are realistic and attainable. Ask yourself: Am I holding myself to standards that I would never ask a friend to meet? Then set priorities and consider what’s worth doing your absolute best on and what you can do a “good enough” job on. It helps to focus more on the experience of what you’re doing rather than the outcome.”

“So I have learned to prop myself up on a bunch of pillows in bed at a 45-degree angle to help keep my airway open, and to sleep on my side as much as possible. Because my sleep apnea is quite mild, postural adjustments have helped me gain more restful sleep.”

“She was discovered to have a benign cyst that was narrowing her airway during sleep; once it was removed, her sleep apnea improved greatly—and so did her exhaustion. In my case, I also tried the CPAP machine, but it was so loud and disruptive that I couldn’t tolerate it either, and I didn’t notice a difference with a mouth guard.”

“Get out of bed if you can’t sleep. Don’t lie awake counting sheep or worries or staring at the clock; get up, go to another room, and read or do something relaxing or monotonous until the mood to snooze returns. Otherwise, you could come to associate your bed with not sleeping—exactly what you don’t want to happen!”

“Instead, establish a relaxing bedtime routine—taking a warm bath, doing some gentle stretches, listening to calming music, and the like—before going to bed. Also, be sure to dim the lights:”

“Give yourself a chill-out period before bed. Avoid strenuous or stimulating activities or emotionally upsetting conversations in the hours before climbing into bed. Physically and psychologically stressful activities trigger the release of cortisol in your body, which increases alertness and arousal.”

“♦ Banish technology from your bedroom. Don’t bring your laptop, your smartphone, or other high-tech gadgets to bed with you. The light alone from these devices can reset your body’s internal clock;”

“people who exercise vigorously in the morning have the best sleep patterns, including better-quality sleep and a lower likelihood of awakening feeling unrefreshed. It’s fine to do relaxing exercises like yoga or simple stretching in the evening.”

“Avoid sneaky stimulants that interfere with sleep. As you probably know, caffeine can keep you up at night, which is why it’s best to avoid having coffee, tea, chocolate, and soda for 4 to 6 hours before bedtime.”