Having insomnia can affect every aspect of your life. Without a sufficient amount of sleep every night, it is difficult to function in your daily life. To better help you deal with insomnia, it would be helpful to do some research. The following tips can assist you in battling insomnia.
Keep your bedroom clean and free from clutter. Remove your television, computer and other electronic devices. Do not study, watch TV or work in bed. Decorate your bedroom in soothing colors that help you feel relaxed and keep decorative items to a minimum. Your bedroom should be a relaxing place where you go to sleep.
Try to sleep enough so that your body feels rested. Do not try to catch up on lost sleep by sleeping longer as it does not work this way. Sleep just until you’re rested each night. It is not possible to lose sleep some nights and catch up on it other nights.
Get in the habit of not sleeping in, even on the weekends. Sleeping for longer periods of time than you are used to can throw your entire sleep schedule out the door. For people that experience insomnia, this can kick it into high gear. Instead, set the alarm for the same time that you need to get up for on the weekdays.
Don’t do other things in your bed, other than sleep. This means no television watching, reading, or doing any sort of puzzles before bed. All of these things can stimulate your brain, and that can trigger insomnia. When sleeping is the sole function of the bed, you’ll be more likely to get the rest you need.
If you are having trouble sleeping, the first thing you should do is to visit your primary care physician. Occasionally, there is an underlying medical disorder that may be causing your symptoms. This could be as simple as stress or anxiety. However, it is best to be checked out and then go from there.
Use an audio player, preferably one with a timer, to help you fall asleep in the evenings. Choose music that is soft and relaxing. There are plenty of products on the market that were designed to assist people in having a more restful night’s sleep. You may find that sounds other than music help you as well.
Do not drink alcohol in the evenings. Although it might seem like a glass of wine helps you to relax, studies show that alcohol actually upsets your sleep. In fact, it keeps you from falling into a state of deeper sleep. Tobacco works the same way, so it is best to stay away from that as well.
Take note of what medications you on. Certain medicines can interfere with sleep. Examples include anti-depressants like Zoloft and Prozac. Blood pressure medicines can also have an adverse effect on sleep. Write down all your medications and ask your doctor if one of them could be causing you sleepless nights.
Blue light is known to suppress the production of melatonin, the hormone that helps you sleep. Be sure to avoid blue light from things like laptops, tvs, and phones for at least thirty minutes before bedtime. This will help your brain know it’s power down time and not play time.
Did you know that a nice massage can help you get to sleep? Sure it can be difficult sometimes to get your spouse to give you a massage when you can’t get some sleep. However, when it comes to insomnia, they should be able to help you out. Massages are very relaxing and can help you immensely when trying to sleep.
Take a bath that is warm, almost hot. In addition, add some Epsom salt or baking soda. That will make you feel calmer. The salts can soothe your muscles, and you might be more likely to fall asleep when you make an attempt later in the evening. Don’t make it too hot or too cold.
Avoid exercising before bed. Exercising will get your body excited; if you’re not able to sleep you shouldn’t be exercising a couple of hours prior to hitting the bed. A calm body and mind at bedtime make it more likely that you will sleep well and avoid insomnia.
If you have a willing spouse, or sleep partner, try talking him or her into giving you a relaxing massage to help combat insomnia. If you cannot coerce them into a full-body massage, even a quick back massage with some soothing oil might be enough to relax your body, making sleep come easier.
As was already mentioned, your whole life can be impacted by insomnia, and not in a good way. But, when you do your research and gain some knowledge, it is a disorder that can be combated. Put the tips above to good use and get a better night’s sleep from now on.
