Insomnia is a condition characterized by an inability to sleep. It is a condition that affects the lives of millions of Americans each year, and millions more around the world. It can be a very problematic condition to overcome, but it is beatable.
If you are suffering from insomnia, then the first thing that you need to do is to follow your doctor’s advice. Any treatments you are considering should be run past them first, to get their opinion.
This article will present nine tips on how you can treat insomnia and get a good night’s sleep again:
1) Create a Sleep Routine
A regular routine is very important. According to the sleep experts from RouseGood.com, sleep deprivation can lead to myriad health problems, in both children and adults. A routine is a good way to avoid sleep disruption, and by extension, deprivation. Set yourself a bedtime and make sure that you stick to it. In the hours leading up to your bedtime, you might want to read a book, meditate, and relax. Make sure that you don’t eat or use technology. A routine is a very effective way of getting the sleep that you need.
2) Sleeping Environment
In addition to creating a routine, you also need to create a comfortable sleeping environment. If you aren’t comfortable in your bedroom, then you will struggle to get sleep. Your bedroom should be a place of total relaxation, where you can forget the world, and drift away. In order for your bedroom to be such a place, you need to introduce furniture, cushions, and covers that make you feel relaxed. In addition, make sure that your mattress is high-quality. A poor-quality mattress can negatively impact one’s sleep, so it’s well worth taking a look at resources like this Sleepify comparison article if you are on the hunt for a new sleep setup and need some pointers as to what you could consider. If you are on a budget, you can pick up a quality mattress on finance.
3) Regular Exercise
Regular exercise is the cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle. If you aren’t exercising regularly, then you will struggle to fall asleep at night. There are lots of exercises for you to do, from calisthenics to gym routines. If you aren’t comfortable going to the gym [which many people aren’t!] then you can practice bodyweight exercises at home. Bodyweight exercises like squats, dips, and push-ups are just as effective as many weighted exercises. You do need to work slightly harder to see benefit from these exercises, however. You could also consider enrolling in an online exercise program.
4) Caffeine Reduction
Many people spend a large chunk of their lives buzzed on caffeine without even knowing it. It’s in almost all sugary drinks, from soda to some juices. Caffeine can also be found in coffee, which is one of the world’s most popular, and widely enjoyed drinks. Reduce the amount of caffeine that you consume, and you might end up getting a better night’s sleep. In the hours leading up to your bedtime, drink water and nothing else. You can also drink decaffeinated tea. Under no circumstances should you drink anything that contains caffeine in the hours before bedtime though, or you may be awake into the very early morning hours.
5) Overindulging in Snacks
Before bed, it’s commonplace for families to gather around the television, eat snacks, and talk. Unfortunately, this snack eating often leads to overindulgence and gorging. You shouldn’t eat in the hours leading up to bed, because when you are trying to sleep your body will be digesting food that will either keep you awake or interfere with your digestive process, leaving you with a stomach ache. Overindulgence in alcohol is also very common, and something that should be avoided. Alcohol can interfere with your sleep, despite what some people claim.
6) Smoking Cigarettes
Cigarettes can be very damaging to one’s sleep. Nicotine is a stimulant, so it should be no surprise that a cigarette before bed can impact the quality of your sleep. You should also avoid smoking Cannabis before bed if it is legalized in your country. This is because Cannabis can keep you awake and impact your sleep. While Cannabis does help some people sleep, this is not true for everybody. It’s better to avoid Cannabis, and not to chance it if you aren’t confident that it will make you sleep better. If you are sure then it does, however, then by all means go ahead and consume it before bed.
7) Bedtime Meditation
As already mentioned, meditating before bed can be a great way to relax and prepare yourself for sleep. Meditation is an ancient art, practiced for well over two thousand years. There are many different styles and types of meditation, but the ultimate goal of all of them is to arrive at a state of total awareness, relaxation, and rest. If you are going to start meditating before bed, you might want to consider practicing mindfulness meditation. You could also take up some gentle yoga before bed. It is easy to find instructional yoga videos on the internet.
8) Reading a Book
Many experts in sleep recommend reading before bed. Reading is another very effective way of tiring yourself out and relaxing your mind. If you aren’t a fan of reading, then you can always listen to an audiobook. If you are going to read then it’s crucial that you do so with a book, not a device like a Kindle or an iPhone. Looking at a screen before bed can be very damaging to your eyes, and can stimulate your brain, preventing you from being able to sleep. The primary reason that many people struggle to sleep, have insomnia, or have poor-quality sleep these days is the use of technology before bed.
9) Getting Out of Bed
Many sleep experts also recommend getting out of bed and walking around if you are struggling to sleep. Others recommend reading a book. If you are struggling to sleep, lying down and staying put will just make you feel worse. Getting out of bed can help you to reset your body so that when you do lie down again, you feel ready to go to sleep. Try to avoid doing anything that will wake you up even more, however, like watching television or exercising.
Insomnia can be very hard to live with, but there are some solutions to the condition. In order to overcome insomnia, you simply need to follow this article’s advice – as well as your doctor’s advice. In addition to everything here, make sure that you eat healthily, drink lots of water, and live a healthy lifestyle.
