Most of use have experienced sleepless nights at one point. If this is a regular occurrence, it may be a sign of insomnia. Insomnia is sometimes a serious condition, but the tips below can help. Banish insomnia by taking action so that you can enjoy pleasant dreams.
Avoid alcohol, caffeine, sugar and nicotine. These stimulants may be effective in keeping you awake during the day but they are also making it difficult for you to sleep at night. Limit their consumption throughout the day. Do not take any stimulants at least four hours before going to bed for the night.
What you eat and drink before bedtime can have big effect on eliminating insomnia. Avoid alcohol, caffeinated drinks and heavy meals within 3 hours of your regular bedtime. If there is a prescription medication that you are taking that may cause wakefulness, discuss a better time to take that medication with your doctor.
If you are unable to sleep due to noise, a common problem in people who work nights and attempt to sleep during the day, consider wearing earplugs to bed. Sometimes you just can’t get away from the noises of daily life, but earplugs can help you to ignore them as you rest.
Stay away from alcohol. A lot of people try to soothe their sleep issues with alcohol, but that is not a good idea. For one thing, you don’t want to become dependent on alcohol. For another thing, alcohol is a diuretic and may encourage nighttime urination and difficulty when you want to go back to sleep.
At bedtime, keep the worries off your mind. Set a time in the afternoon to think about your worries. It is common for people not to sleep well due to an active brain that refuses to switch off. Why not take a chunk of time and focus on that when you’re not trying to sleep? This way you won’t have to sit there trying to solve your problems so you can get to sleep.
Make sure you do research and understand the harmful effects that sleep medications can cause. The side effects can be hugely dangerous, so talk to your family doctor. Also, it is wise to conduct your own research on possible side effects.
If you suffer from insomnia frequently, try using aromatherapy to soothe you to sleep. Scented oils, such as lavender, are particularly relaxing, and are known to help with sleep. Try dabbing some on your pillow, or wearing some lavender body spray to bed. You can even make lavender sachets to keep on your night table.
If your bedroom is not dark, it could be the reason why you have insomnia. Even the smallest light can hinder many people from falling asleep. If your clock is too bright, buy a new one that only lights up when you press a button. If there is too much outside light, buy darkening curtains to help keep your bedroom dark.
While insomnia can really mess with your sleep schedule, try your hardest to start waking up earlier in the morning. This of course helps you be more tired at the end of the day. As you get back into sleeping normally, you can then return to your normal wake-up time.
Set your alarm for early in the morning. Getting too much sleep during the day makes it more likely you will not be able to fall asleep that night. For most adults, sleeping somewhere between six and eight hours a night is quite sufficient.
Have a sleep study done. If you are not able to sleep, or feel that you are having trouble staying asleep, you might have some form of sleep apnea that makes you unable to sleep properly. A sleep study is the best way for people to determine this and find out what is going on.
If you are having a hard time falling asleep at night, take time to look at what you are consuming throughout the day. See if there is anything that contains caffeine. Some people are very sensitive to it and can not have anything such as coffee, soda or chocolate after one in the afternoon if they plan to go to sleep at a reasonable hour.
Try meditation before bed. One problem many people face is the inability to release daily concerns, or the upcoming day’s tasks. Take a few minutes to sit comfortable, relax and clear your mind. As you clear your mind, take each part of your body and focus on relaxing them, thus relaxing the body as a whole.
Siberian ginseng has been shown to help energy levels increase and the brain to be better focused during the day. This can not only tide you over when you aren’t sleeping well, but keep your brain heightened once you have your insomnia in check. It also is shown to help with blood sugar levels in diabetics.
Create an environment that is sleep friendly. Try to limit the use of your bedroom to sleep. It should be kept cool and quiet, and as dark as possible. If you have large windows or they face the sun, invest in a set of blackout curtains. This will help keep the light out so you can sleep more soundly.
As you can now see, it is possible to get a good night’s sleep. There are many things you can do to get better sleep at night. Try the tips shared here and get a good night’s sleep.
