'HOW TO GET THE SLEEP YOU NEED FOR THE DAY YOU WANT'

] SLEEP ONLY AS MUCH AS NEEDED TO FEEL REFRESHED DURING THE FOLLOWING DAY.
EXTENDING SLEEP. RESTRICTING TIME IN BED WILL LEAD TO A CONSOLIDATED SLEEP.

] GET UP THE SAME TIME EACH MORNING, WEEKDAYS AND WEEKENDS.
REGULAR WAKE - UP TIME WILL LEAD TO REGULAR SLEEP ONSET TIMES.

] REGULAR EXERCISE IN THE MORNING DEEPENS SLEEP.
EXERCISING IN THE EVENING IS STIMULATING AND MAY LEAD TO DELAY IN SLEEP ONSET.

] PROPER SLEEP ENVIRONMENT IS CONDUCTIVE TO SLEEP.
AVOID EXTREME TEMPERATURE, BRIGHT LIGHT AND NOISE IN THE BEDROOM.

] LIGHT SNACKS MAY HELP SLEEP ONSET IN SOME PATIENTS.
HUNGER OR EXCESSIVE FULLNESS CAN DISTURB SLEEP. A CUP OF WARM MILK, A BANANA OR A COOKIE ARE SUFFICIENT TO QUELL HUNGER PAINS AT NIGHT.
] AVOID DRINKING EXCESSIVE LIQUIDS AT NIGHT TO MINIMIZE THE NEED TO GET UP TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.
GETTING UP (AT MOST TWICE) IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO GO TO THE BATHROOM IS NOT UNUSUAL, AS LONG AS YOU ARE ABLE TO GO BACK TO SLEEP.
] AVOID CIGARETTES, ALCOHOL AND CAFFEINATED BEVERAGES (COFFEE, TEA, COLAS) IN THE EVENING.
CAFFEINE AND NICOTINE ARE STIMULATING. ALCOHOL MAY INITIALLY PROMOTE SLEEP, HOWEVER, IT LEADS TO A FRAGMENTED SLEEP.

] BED IS ONLY FOR SLEEP AND SEX (CONDUCTIVE TO SLEEP).
REMOVE FROM THE BEDROOM ALL STIMULI NOT ASSOCIATED WITH SLEEP. ACTIVITIES LIKE WATCHING tv, EATING, DRINKING, ARGUMENTS, DISCUSSING THE DAY'S PROBLEMS AND WORKING MAY INTERFERE WITH SLEEP ONSET.

] TIME TO WIND DOWN IS CONDUCTIVE TO SLEEP.
ENGAGE IN RELAXING ACTIVITIES LIKE READING, WATCHING tv OR LISTENING TO MUSIC 30 MINUTES BEFORE BEDTIME (AND OUTSIDE THE BEDROOM).

] AVOID WORRYING IN BED ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO SLEEP.
IF AFTER 10 TO 15 MINUTES YOU ARE STILL AWAKE, GET OUT OF BED AND GO TO ANOTHER ROOM. DO SOMETHING RELAXING. WHEN YOU START GETTING TIRED OR SLEEPY, GO BACK TO TO BED. STAYING IN BED AND FORCING YOURSELF TO FALL ASLEEP WILL ONLY MAKE YOU ANGRY AND FRUSTRATED, FURTHER AGGRAVATING A CONDITIONED AROUSAL (NEGATIVE CONDITIONING).

] IF YOU FIND YOURSELF "CLOCK WATCHING," TURN THE CLOCK AROUND OR COVER IT SO YOU CANNOT SEE IT.

'THOUGHTS'

I'M NOT A PERFECT GIRL, I SAY WHAT'S ON MY MIND, I GET JEALOUS EASILY, I GET MAD ALWAYS, I'M DEMANDING, I'M MOODY.
BUT THERE ARE THREE (3) THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MYSELF.
I'M FAITHFUL
I'M SWEET,
AND WHEN I CHOOSE HIM IT'S ONLY HIM
NOTHIN' MORE, NOTHIN' LESS.

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I PRETEND TO BE HAPPY,
TALKING A LOT AND LAUGHING OUT LOUD
SO THAT NOBODY WOULD KNOW WHAT'S REALLY INSIDE
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I ALWAYS FIND MYSELF ALL ALONE,
ENCOUNTERING THE CRUCIAL TRUTH
THAT I'M TOO BROKEN INSIDE AND NOT EVEN A MILLION LAUGHTER
CAN TAKE IT AWAY.
I'M IN PAIN SCALE OF 9, NEED SEDATIVES OR ANALGESICS
ONLY IF THERE ARE SUCH MEDICINES FOR EMOTIONS
I WOULD RATHER GET OVERDOSED AND DIE.

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IN MY LIFE, I NEVER TRIED TO IMPRESS SOMEONE FOR THEM TO LIKE ME
COZ' WHEN I DO, I WILL HAVE TO KEEP THAT IMAGE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE
AND IT'S HARD TO PRETEND TO BE SOMEBODY ELSE,
I MAY NOT BE THAT CLOSE TO PERFECTION LIKE OTHER PEOPLE DO
BUT WHO CARE'S?!
IT'S NOT THEM WHOM I LIVE FOR ANYWAY
WHAT MATTERS IS THAT I KNOW MYSELF AND I KNOW
HOW DO I LOOK LIKE INSIDE-OUT AND I'M WORTH IT
THIS IS ME AS WHAT THEY SAY. IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE MY WORST
THEN YOU DONT DESERVE MY BEST.