Insomnia Support Group
Insomnia is a symptom, rather than a disease, and is characterized by inadequate quantity or quality of sleep. People with insomnia complain of difficulty falling or staying asleep, which results in significant impairment of daytime functioning. Insomnia is categorized as transient (shorter than one week), short-term (one to three weeks) or chronic (longer than three...
So, I have OCD and there are certain rituals I have to do before I go to bed and I feel like if I don't do them right or in a certain way, I won't be able to sleep and it only makes my insomnia worse. Does anybody else's OCD make their insomnia even worse than it already is?
This does not mean you have to do the same exact things exactly the same way each and every night before bed.
It does mean try to let go the tension and stress of the day if you can, for a good hour or so before bed. Try to do things that relax you. Get y our clothes ready for the morning. Take a warm bath. Maybe some reading or working with your hands at a relaxing hobby.
After awhile, you begin to associate your relaxing routine with the idea of good sleep. This is part of stimulus control, one of the several effective methods used in CBT, cognitive behavioral therapy specifically designed for insomnia.
It works. That's what I used to help me sleep better, and I still use it today.
To the degree the OCD is contributing to your insomnia then, you can expect your sleep to improve as you get a handle on the OCD.
Sleep habits are super important too. Are you keeping a consistent sleep schedule?