How to Treat Insomnia

An adult usually needs between 7 and 9 hours of good sleep every night in order to function and be alert during the day. If you suffer from insomnia, this good sleep is reduced in varying degrees.

There are many tips to help you get into good sleeping habits but if there is an underlying cause for your insomnia, you need to find out and rectify what this is as well by finding the right insomnia treatment for you.

• Avoid napping during the day and if you must take an afternoon nap, then this should be less than an hour long.
• Establish a regular time each day for going to bed and for getting up in the morning and stick to these times even if you are tired.
• Avoid stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine and alcohol before bedtime. Alcohol and bedtime do not mix and the effects of alcohol are greatly magnified by sleep deprivation.
• No heavy meals close to bedtime, just a light snack. Eat your proper meal earlier in the evening so that you do not go to bed hungry. Strive for a balance between vegetables, protein and carbohydrates.
• Avoid fluids just before bedtime to reduce the need to urinate.
• Exercise regularly but not within 3 hours of bedtime. Exercise can lower anxiety and tension while heart and lung fitness (a direct result of exercise) promotes healthy sleep. Energetic exercise should be done in the late afternoon.
• Easy stretching should precede all exercise.
• Make sure you are relaxed at bedtime – enjoy a warm bath. Develop a bedtime ritual such as reading for pleasure, gradually dimming the lights and as you mind clears and you become drowsy, turn off the lights. Cleanse the mind and do some deep breathing.
• Make sure you have a comfortable bed, in a comfortable room with the minimum of light, noise and extremes of temperature. The room should be well ventilated.
• Turn that bedside clock away from you so that you cannot keep checking the time.
• If you cannot fall asleep within a reasonable time of going to bed, then get up and read quietly until you feel tired. Then return to your bed. If you suffer from insomnia, you should not use your bed for reading, watching TV or working.
• If you are distracted or kept away by a sleeping partner, arrange for some nights in separate rooms while you are getting into the sleep habit.
• Do not use sleeping pills unless they are prescribed by a doctor, and even then be very wary as sleeping pills can be dangerous. They also lose their effect after a few weeks, leading to loss of sleep again. Using natural methods is so much safer.
• Take control of the stressful situations in your life where you possibly can and focus on what is really important.
• Relaxation techniques and hypnotherapy are very helpful for insomnia sufferers. Learning relaxation techniques can help you to sleep deeply.
• Herbal cures can work well in dealing with insomnia. Chamomile has a relaxing effect so a cup of chamomile tea one hour before going to bed is recommended. The herbs “hops” and “valerian” also have a beneficial calming effect and can be used for treating insomnia. Drinking herbal tea is safer and more effective than drugs for mild and moderate insomnia.
• Aromatherapy is another form of natural treatment. Lavender oil has a sedative and calming effect. You can add some lavender oil to your bath or lightly massage with the oil.
• A natural healing product made with essential oils is available on the internet and can be used successfully to treat insomnia in a completely natural way.

Insomnia disturbs the natural and normal restorative functions of sleep so that you suffer from sleep deprivation and diminished daytime alertness. This is not good for either your health or your safety. If you can follow those tips above that work for you, you should resolve your insomnia safely and successfully in just a couple of weeks.