I wouldn't call myself a total insomniac, but since I was a teenager I've had trouble getting to sleep; I also find it difficult to drop off again if I wake up in the middle of the night.
The effects of sleepless nights are sometimes pretty evident by the bags under my eyes, and the fact that I flag by early afternoon, with attention lapses and my desk looking increasingly attractive to my weary head! Having suffered the worst insomnia to date in recent months I've searched out the advice of both conventional doctors and some more alternative views.
I've found that the following advice certainly helped me - I wouldn't say I'm cured but when the insomnia recurs, these methods seem to do the trick for me.
However it's important to remember that sleep disturbances may be the symptom of a stress related, or other ailment - if in doubt, it's always best to consult your GP.
Having said that, the suggestions listed here are all tried and tested, and may help you to improve your nighttime sleep allowance considerably.
Review your current "Before Bed" Routine Stress and workload seems to be one of the main reasons many people suffer sleep related problems.
If you have a heavy schedule at work, or are bringing work home with you, this may lead you to eat late and go to bed with today's and tomorrow's problems still buzzing in your head, neither of which is conducive to a good night's rest.
If possible it's best to create a "wind down" period between the end of your day's work and going to bed, and also not eating during this period.
Even an hour set aside before bedtime to relax will calm the mind and body considerably, and prepare it to rest.
A warm bath often helps to achieve this state of physical and mental relaxation, and the addition of a couple of drops of some soporific (sleep inducing) essential oils such as Lavender,Chamomile, Marjoram, Rose or Sandalwood will help.
A simple bath can be transformed into a relaxation-fest by turning the lights out, lighting some tea lights, maybe adding a stick of incense, even playing some relaxing music on a portable CD player (remember to keep any electrical items away from water).
A warm bath also helps to improve our circulation and regulate body temperature, both of which will help us to get a good night's sleep.
Avoid eating heavy meals late at night, and take time to eat properly and slowly - gobbling down a Donner kebab on your lap while doing some late night catch-up work isn't the way to prepare for sleep! Similarly avoid coffee and other heavily caffeine-laced drinks such as cola - ideally these shouldn't be drunk after 3pm - if possible switch to non caffeine drinks such as hot chocolate, herbal or fruit teas or milk, or to tea, which has a much lower caffeine content.
Alcohol should be drunk in moderation if you want to guarantee a good night's sleep.
The occasional glass of wine or nightcap can help you relax and drop off after a hard day, but too much alcohol can disrupt sleep, and can also lead to more snoring, which won't make your partner very happy, and may disturb your sleep even more if they end up poking you to stop snoring! Developing a New Sleep Routine Insomnia, once it takes hold, develops into a routine of wakefulness - to treat the insomnia effectively, a different, sleep inducing routine needs to replace the old "bad" habits.
Regulate bedtime.
In the young, sleeping arrangements can be and often are flexible, but as we get older, it's important to have a routine for sleep, so that the brain can prepare for effective downtime.
Simply going to bed at roughly the same each night can help, as it gives our mind and body a definite trigger for sleep.
Your sleeping environment, or in other words your bedroom, should also be associated in your mind with restfulness and sleep.
Your bedroom should be a calm, dark and quiet haven.
If you like to read before bed, it may help to install a dimmer switch, or have a touch control bedside lamp, so that the lighting isn't too harsh.
Try to turn the light off before you go to sleep; this is another hint to the mind and body that it's time to sleep.
Aromatherapy can help make the bedroom - sleep association stronger: by regularly using sedative and relaxing scents such as Lavender, either in an oil burner, steam infusion or even a few drops on your pillow or bedding, or by using an aromatherapy eye pillow or wheat bag, you are benefiting from the calming properties of the oils.
You will also be learning to associate the smells with sleep; in other words when you smell the same fragrances on subsequent evenings, your mind will "recognize" that it's time for sleep.
The sense of smell connects directly to the seat of our emotional behavior via the Olfactory nerves, and memories or emotions can be triggered by a fragrance.
Learn to use this powerful effect on our mood and memory to your advantage at bedtime.
When you're finally tucked up in bed, a simple but effective relaxation technique is to concentrate on your breathing.
Close your eyes and focus on your breathing pattern, regulating the length of your in and out breaths.
Breathe from your stomach rather than your chest - in other words when you breathe in, your belly, not your chest, should be rising and falling.
Concentrate on the rhythm of your breathing, and whenever a thought from the day comes into your mind, visualize turning away from it as you breathe out, then return your focus to your deep and even breathing.
This very simple exercise will help to ease the tensions of the day away with every out breath, and will leave you feeling completely relaxed, and hopefully very tired.
Good night!