Simple Insomnia Tips.....

for a good nights' sleep

These simple insomnia tips could be just what you need if you have trouble falling asleep, or find yourself lying awake night after night, worrying about how much sleep you're missing!

Insomnia can range from the occasional sleepless night, to years spent tossing and turning in our beds.

If you've been staring at the ceiling for the last few nights, or are going through as stressful time which is leaving you sleepless, the following insomnia tips will help get you back on the right track.

If you're suffering from chronic insomnia, these remedies for insomnia are a good place to start your quest for better sleep.

You may also need to try additional treatments and/or therapies to achieve truly restful and restorative sleep on a regular basis, but even chronic insomniacs can benefit from these simple tips to cure insomnia.

If you have an insomnia tip you would like to share, click here to jump to the Sleep Better Submission Form. Your tip could be just the answer another visitor is looking for!

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• Set a sleep schedule, and stick to it!
  Aim to go to bed and get up at the same time each day. Yes, even on weekends. This keeps your internal body clock on track and encourages naturally restorative sleep.


• Create a calming bedtime routine
  A pre-sleep ritual, such as a relaxing bath followed by a glass of warm milk or cup of herbal tea, helps your body and brain prepare for sleep. Practicing relaxation techniques like meditation or breathing exercises can also be helpful.


• Protect your sleep environment
  Turn your bedroom into your own personal sleep sanctuary. Keep the temperature comfortable, the lights low, and make it a 'clutter-free zone'. Use your bedroom for sleep (and lovemaking) only, no work, hobbies, TV.... or heated arguments!


• If you can't sleep, get up!
  Instead of tossing and turning for hours, if you're still wide-awake after 30 minutes of being in bed (or wake up and stay that way for 30 mins or more).... get up. Leave your bedroom and do something quiet and relaxing such as reading a book (dull only, no thrillers!), or listening to classical/calming music. Continue until you feel sleepy, then go back to bed and try again.


• Avoid the 'sleep-stealers'
  An important part of any list of insomnia tips is information on what to avoid if you want to sleep at night. Certain foods, drinks and activities can really get in the way of a good night's sleep. Here are the 'Don'ts that you need to pay attention to if you want sleep well.

  1. Don't drink caffeinated beverages. Coffee, coca cola, chocolate, many soft/carbonated drinks and non-herbal teas all contain caffeine. Avoid these in the hours leading up to bedtime.
  

  2. Don't eat a large/heavy/spicy meal in the evening. Try to eat your biggest meal of the day at lunchtime, and stick to foods that encourage the release of tryptophan or serotonin for dinner (these include dairy products, whole wheat products, certain nuts and carbohydrate-rich foods).
  

  3. Don't drink alcohol within 4 hours of going to bed. After the initial sedative/relaxing effect has worn off, alcohol will leave you restless and unable to achieve deep sleep. It's also a diuretic, which will cause you to make a few extra trips to the bathroom overnight. It can also make sleep problems such as snoring and sleep apnea worse.
  

  4. Don't 'watch the clock'. If you lie in bed watching the minutes creep by and agonizing over how much sleep you're missing, you're only going to make the situation worse. Turn your clock so that you can't see the face, and refuse to check it if you do wake up!
  

  5. Don't smoke. The nicotine in cigarettes and cigars is a stimulant, and will prevent you from relaxing enough to get a decent nights sleep. It can also increase your risk of nightmares and other sleep disturbances. Giving up smoking is the best answer, but if you can't do that, at least don't smoke in the hours leading up to bedtime.
  

  6. Don't take long daytime naps. If you're so tired that it's not safe to get behind the wheel of your car (or chop the veggies for dinner), a short 10-minute nap can be a lifesaver. BUT... don't sleep for longer than that or it will only make your insomnia worse and prevent you from sleeping properly that night.
  

  7. Don't exercise close to bedtime. Regular exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, and if you exercise before mid-afternoon your sleep will reap the benefits. However, exercising should be limited to no later than 3 hours (5 - 6 is better) before your normal bedtime. Otherwise the endorphins and chemicals coursing through your body, plus the elevated brain activity, will keep you awake into the wee hours.



• Take advantage of sleep inducing foods
  Just as there are certain foods/drinks that you need to avoid, a list of insomnia tips wouldn't be complete without mentioning those foods/drinks which can actually help you sleep better. Foods that contain the amino acid Tryptophan are on this list, as are those which contain calcium, and many high-carbohydrate choices.


• Consider Sleep Aids
  Sleep Aids come in all shapes, sizes and types.... and they are not necessarily traditional medications. There are several different prescription and OTC sleep aids that, when used correctly, can be very beneficial in treating insomnia. There are also natural cures for insomnia, including aromatherapy and relaxation techniques or melatonin.


• Knowledge is Power!
  When you're having difficulty sleeping, the more you know about what's causing your problems the better. After all, if you don't know WHY you're not sleeping it's going to be difficult to overcome the problem. You can take this simple Insomnia Quiz to take a closer look at your sleeping habits, and there are a whole slew of insomnia tips in this FREE report The Worst Mistakes Insomniacs Make.

  Finally, don't forget to check out my Sleep Books page for a selection of some of the best information around.