Insomnia can make you feel old. You didn’t have any trouble sleeping as a child, why now? Don’t try to figure it all out, that stress will just keep you up longer. Instead, focus on learning all that you can do to defeat insomnia and then deal with it, using the ideas in this article.
If you are plagued by insomnia, start listening to soft music while you try and fall asleep. Anything rhythmic and quiet should help to put you in a relaxed state, so that you can get to sleep. If you don’t enjoy quiet music, opt for the sound of waves crashing on the shore.
When your insomnia is getting the best of you, try a cup of warm milk. Although many people think this is just an old wives tale, there’s really some science behind it. Warm milk actually soothes your nervous system, making sleep come more easily. Just pop a mug in the microwave for a minute or so and sleep should soon follow.
Try deep rhythmic breathing to snap out of a bout with insomnia. Lay in bed with your eyes closed and simply breathe with deliberation. This exercise will relax you and help take the focus off of the price you will pay tomorrow for not getting enough sleep tonight. Try counting the breaths too, to get sleepy faster.
If sleep absolutely eludes you, do not just lie there worrying about sleeping. Try getting out of bed, and doing some light activity, such as a warm bath, or a little reading. This may be just enough activity to make you forget about your sleep problems, and help you to fall asleep.
You may not be aware that night noises are keeping you awake. The hum of the refrigerator. The boom of the furnace kicking in. Even the tick-tock of the clock, or your partner’s snoring can ruin any chance of restful sleep. Try wearing some earplugs to see if drowning out the noise gets you to sleep faster.
Avoid forcing yourself to sleep each night. Instead of trying to get into bed at the same time every time, try just to sleep when you start to get tired. This probably seems counterintuitive, but those who try and force themselves to sleep only trigger bad insomnia most of the time.
Taking two tylenol when you go to sleep has always been a big tip for people with insomnia. However, you can trade this out with an ibuprofen. Or, you can substitute taking tylenol or ibuprofen with all-natural melatonin. All three of these are able to put you in a relaxed state.
Some people don’t like milk or are trying to keep dairy out of their diet. If this is the case with you, then you need to check into drinking certain teas with all-natural ingredients. Camomile, catnip, fennel and anise tea are some of the favorites when helping people to relax.
Check your mattress often for signs of wear and tear. If you’re not comfortable, it may need to be replaced. Buy new pillows and bed linen whenever necessary. Avoid allergens when choosing bedding. Although feather pillows might be more comfortable, they are a waste of money if you’re allergic to them.
Many people suffer from insomnia because they cannot get their brain to shut down at night. One way to eliminate this is to write down any worries or problems before you go to bed. This will help your brain relax. When you make a list of your problems to be handled the next day, your brain can focus on what it needs to be doing, sleeping.
Being able to breathe properly while you are sleeping is important. Your breathing issues may be related to allergies, congestion or other issues. Most problems can be treated with a simple medication, using an air purifier or even just putting a specially designed adhesive strip that opens up your nasal passages.
Restrict your sleeping time only to the night to help you sleep continuously. That means no naps and no sleeping in. Go to bed at a certain time, stay in bed no longer than seven hours, and get up on time. Your body will learn that this is the only time it can sleep and give you the rest you need.
While it is perfectly okay to use a sleep aid to help you rest every once in a while, this should not be used as a long-term treatment for insomnia. If you have been having sleepless nights for more than a week, it would be a good idea for you to see a doctor so he can properly diagnose and treat you.
As stated earlier, insomnia makes you feel old and miserable, which compounds itself because it gets worse as you age. That is, unless you do something about it. Now that you have read this article, you have the tools and power to make sure that you get to sleep at night.
