Continued from part 1:

So, if you're feeling as tired as I am, what can we do about it? If you're adopting or thinking about adoption or have just adopted then you, like me, can't exactly get away from your stress and racing thoughts. So we may need to resort to other methods of getting to sleep. Here are some things I've tried (they haven't been particularly effective, but they might work for you).

• Make a to-do list so you won't have to think about all that you need to do.


• Count sheep (or whatever you want to count) until you fall asleep. This has actually worked for me in the past...



• Visualize yourself sleeping. I think this worked for me Thursday night - or at least repeating the word sleep over and over in my head gave me something else to think about besides work.


• Drink something alcoholic. I'm not advocating getting drunk or anything like that, and I actually haven't resorted to this yet, but a glass of wine with dinner or a smallish drink before bed probably would've relaxed me some. I might try that tonight since it is the weekend.

Here's what womenshealth.gov suggests you do to cope with sleep problems:

Finding and treating any medical conditions or mental health problems.
Looking for routines or behaviors, like drinking alcohol at night, that may lead to the insomnia or make it worse, and stopping (or reducing) them.
Possibly using sleeping pills, although controversy surrounds the long-term use of sleeping pills. You should talk to your doctor about the risks and side-effects.
Trying one or more methods to improve sleep, such as relaxation therapy, sleep restriction therapy, and reconditioning.

• Relaxation Therapy. This type of therapy aims to reduce stress and body tension. As a result, your mind is able to stop "racing," the muscles can relax, and restful sleep can occur.



• Sleep Restriction. Some women suffering from insomnia spend too much time in bed trying to fall asleep. They may be helped by a sleep restriction program under the guidance of their doctor. The goal is to sleep continuously and get out of bed at the desired wake time. This treatment involves, for example, going to bed later or getting up earlier and slowly increasing the amount of time in bed until the person is able to sleep normally throughout the night.



• Reconditioning. This means using your bed only at bedtime when sleepy or for sex. Avoid other activities in your bed, such as reading or watching TV. Over time, your body will relate bed and bedtime with sleep.