15 Tips for Dealing with Insomnia

 

Photo by Sofia Alejandra

           Insomnia is a sleep disorder in which you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. The condition can be short-term (acute) or can last a long time (chronic). It may also come and go. Insomnia can be quite common. Everyone struggles to fall asleep at times and it can be frustrating to just lie in bed wanting nothing other than to just fall asleep. The longer it takes, the more anxious you become about it.

         As a human, we need at least 7-8 hours of sleep and if we are not getting that much of sleep, it can make our everyday life more challenging until we can get caught back up on our sleep. Some of the short term effects of insomnia may include Lack of alertness, Excessive daytime sleepiness, impaired memory etc. So if you are someone with insomnia, you will need to take up some steps to dealing with insomnia.

 

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Take an active approach when dealing with insomnia:

 

  1. Get up on time. Sleeping in can create insomnia. Maybe you’re not awake long enough to be tired at night. Make yourself get up on time, even if you didn’t sleep well. Otherwise, you’re just creating a bigger challenge for yourself.

  2. Get up earlier. Maybe you’re getting up on time, but you’re simply sleeping too much. Some people need less sleep than others. Experiment with an earlier wake up time.

  3. Do something physical each day. If you’re mentally stimulated all day, but aren’t getting enough physical stimulation, you might have trouble sleeping at night.

    Photo by Philip Ackermann 

  4. Do something mental each day. Perhaps the opposite is true. You might be physically active all day but engage in little mental activity. You need both to sleep soundly.

  5. Avoid eating within three hours of going to bed. Digesting food requires a lot of energy and can be quite stimulating. Allow your body a few hours to digest your food before attempting to sleep.

  6. Avoid caffeine. Caffeine makes us feel more alert by blocking sleep-inducing chemicals in the brain and increasing adrenaline production. The medical community often suggests a cut-off time of 2PM. Studies also found that caffeine can delay the timing of your body clock. These effects will reduce your total sleep time. Caffeine also can reduce the amount of deep sleep that you enjoy

  7. Avoid drinking within two hours of bedtime. Avoid drinking any liquids within two hours of heading to bed. That should be enough time for your body to process the fluids, and you can empty your bladder before bed. Otherwise, you might be getting up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom.

  8. Only use your bedroom for sleeping. Avoid watching TV, reading, or working in your bedroom. The bedroom is for sleeping.

  9. Find the best temperature for you. If you’re too hot or too cold, you won’t sleep as well.

  10. Change your mattress. Maybe you need a new mattress. Most people have a definite preference regarding mattress firmness or softness. Is your mattress sagging? If possible, spend some money on a good mattress.

  11. Avoid alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant. It depresses your ability to sleep. Just because it makes you sleepy doesn’t mean it will help you sleep soundly.

  12. Avoid naps. If you’re sleeping during the day, you might have more trouble sleeping at night.

  13. Get up if you can’t sleep. Avoid lying in bed for too long if you find you can’t sleep. Get up and do something relaxing until you’re tired and think you can sleep.

  14. Turn off the TV and so something less stimulating before bed. If you watch TV immediately before heading to bed, consider switching to a different activity. Reading, listening to music, or meditating can be more conducive to a good night of sleep.

  15. Try listening to a guided meditation or relaxation music in bed. If your mind races while you lie in bed, try using a guided meditation recording or relaxing music. Many people report falling asleep quickly with the use of these products. Many are available for free online.
Here is an example of a relaxing music that you can get on YouTube


    You can also listen to some audio-books to fall asleep quickly. There are wide variety of audio-books on amazon on guided meditation and other useful audio-books. you can get two audio-books  for free by following this link.
Click here for free audio-books


As a Man Thinketh Audible Audiobook – Unabridged




 

Try not to get too upset over an occasional bout of insomnia. You’ll be just fine. If you frequently have a hard time falling asleep, try the above tips or schedule an appointment to see your physician. You’ll be sleeping like a baby again soon enough.

 

 References 
Say Good Night to Insomnia: The Six-Week, Drug-Free Program Developed At Harvard Medical School (book)