The Best Way to Treat Insomnia

As more and more people experience various pressures from their daily lives, there is a likelihood that the numbers of people unable to sleep at night will increase too. More commonly known as Insomnia, this typically manifests itself in the following manner. Once in bed you will toss and turn, unable to get comfortable and fall asleep; you will finally fall asleep in the early hours and feel terrible upon waking. If you do not sleep alone, sleeplessness can be exacerbated by the fact that your partner is sleeping peacefully.

The following tips aim to provide some solutions to insomnia.

Before Bedtime

1. If you aren’t very good at sleeping at night then don’t succumb to day time naps. Don’t take an afternoon nap or siesta. Get up early and stay up all day, tiring yourself out is a key to a restful sleep and can establish a routine that your body clock will understand, this includes going to bed at a reasonable hour.
2. Avoid caffeine after dinner. This doesn't mean just coffee or tea it includes chocolate, and soft drinks too; opt for a milky drink instead.
3. Take a warm bath. This can help the body to relax and remove tensions from the muscles.
4. Take time out to relax before bedtime. Mellow out for an hour or so before you intend to sleep, even taking an hour or so of quiet time before you try to sleep. Find a method that suits you, such as reading or meditating; remember nothing too mentally stimulating.
5. Increasing your exercise levels is another way to help regulate sleep patterns. Take a morning or evening walk on a daily basis. Just by slightly increasing your exercise level, you can help yourself get to sleep quicker at night.

During Sleep

1. It might sound like a cliché but try counting. The age old trick of counting backwards from a thousand with your eyes closed can work. Get comfortable under the covers, close your eyes, and start counting.
2. Don't stare at your alarm clock, focusing on how little sleep you are going to get. This will only raise your stress level, making it harder to sleep. It is often a good idea to cover your clock so that you cannot see the display.
3. If you can’t sleep there is no point lying in bed thinking about it. Get up find yourself an activity to carry out such as reading a book for half an hour to an hour. If you try again, you may finally be able to sleep.
4. If you have something on your mind, save it for another time. If you save your worries for bedtime it will become almost impossible to sleep. Focus on soothing scenes and pleasant emotions at bedtime. Save your worries for the next day.
5. Play a soothing relaxation tape or CD, usually the gently soothing relaxation qualities of nature sounds can help. Let the sounds of the beach, forest, or a rainstorm lull you to sleep. Remember to play it at a low volume, this is just background music.
6. Practice self relaxation, do this by controlling your breathing. Take full, deep breaths. Feel the oxygen fill your lungs and feel your body as it pulls in and pushes out with each inward and outward breath. Then start with a few simple tension and relaxation exercises. Starting with your toes and working your way up to your head, tighten and loosen all of the muscles in your body in sequence. At all times telling yourself over and over whilst you are doing this; that you are getting very sleepy.
7. Make sure that the temperature in your bedroom is not too uncomfortable for sleep. If it's too hot, or too cold, you are bound to toss and turn. Find a comfortable temperature for sleeping and set your heating at that temperature every night before bedtime.
8. Use your bedroom as its intended purpose, for intimate time with your partner and sleep only. Don't watch TV in bed. The bedroom is not the place for work, so don’t bring laptops or work papers to bed with you. This will only confuse your body into associating this environment with work and worry; and not sleep and relaxation.