Good Sleep Habits can Help Cure Insomnia
A good night's sleep is an important component in a positive, productive day. But for many people, that rest is harder to come by than they would like. Most of us suffer from insomnia from time to time, but some will have bouts of sleepless nights that will be frequent enough to make a difference in their overall quality of life. The good news is that there are some steps that you can take in your nighttime routine to help to promote the peaceful sleep that you are dreaming of. Many of these steps are easy to accomplish, and primarily revolve around establishing good nighttime habits that will effectively prepare your body for the rest that lies ahead.
Set a Schedule
The first key in curing insomnia is to set a regular bedtime and stick with it as often as you can. It is also important to set your alarm for the same time every morning, no matter how tempting it might be to sleep late on the weekends. By adhering to a sleep schedule, you will be effectively training your body to go to sleep at the appropriate time every night. Try to avoid napping during the day, since this will throw your schedule off and may interrupt your nightly sleep cycle.
Once you have your schedule set in stone, it is time to create a good routine at night that will allow your body to prepare itself for the rest ahead and avoid the insomnia trap. This includes ensuring that your bedroom is a comfortable place to sleep; paying special attention to the temperature in the room and how much light is filtering in. Do what you can to make the room sleep-friendly, even if that means adding an eye mask or earplugs to block out distractions that might otherwise keep you awake. Try to follow the same routine each night, whether it includes taking a bath, reading a book or practicing some light stretches. These habits will tell your body that slumber time is coming.
If you suffer from insomnia, do not use your bed for anything other than sleep and sex. If you get into bed and realize that you are not yet tired enough for sleep, get up and do something relaxing until you feel drowsy enough to hit the sack once again. Lying awake in bed has a tendency to make sleep even more elusive. Watch television, read a book or work a crossword puzzle until your body is ready to try sleep once more. And make sure that you still rise and shine at the same time in the morning to avoid sabotaging your sleep schedule completely.
During the Day
Other daytime habits that will help to prevent insomnia at night include getting at least 30 minutes of exercise every day, avoiding large meals too close to bedtime, and practicing good stress management skills when necessary. It is also a good idea to limit intake on substances like nicotine, caffeine and alcohol too close to bedtime. By practicing some of these good habits, you may be able to successfully keep insomnia at bay. Happy slumbers.
