Hard Time Going to Sleep Lately?

Are you finding it hard to go to sleep lately? As a result you are starting to blame it on the regular cup of coffee you are so used to having after dinner and is now contemplating letting go your favorite cup of latte or cappuccino. Well you may be correct but is there any other way to cure your insomnia other than stopping coffee or occasionally popping in the sleeping pill that your doctor has warned you not to use it regularly as the effect may wear off after sometime?

If that is the case, welcome to the concept or principles behind sleep hygiene. Sleep hygiene essentially refers to the general measures to promote good sleep and avoidance of the disruptions to sleep. First and foremost, is your sleeping environment far from being desirable? If it is, then you should think of a makeover of your bedroom. A suitable sleep environment should be one which is familiar and comfortable for you. Needless to say it should also be quiet and dark although some people prefer to have some dim lights on when they are sleeping. If you find your sleeping environment to bright even with the lights off, then maybe you could change to a thicker and dark colored curtain or even something as simple as an eye pad to filter out the unwanted lights.

Secondly, try to encourage regular bedtime routines. Make it a habit to cultivate a consistent bedtime as well as waking up time. In such a way, your body's biological clock will become accustomed and this makes it easier for you to go to sleep at a particular time. Many people often experience difficulty in sleeping once it is one or few hours past their normal bedtime.

Thirdly, go to bed only when you are tired. Many people often spend too much time rolling around in their bed in an effort to go to sleep. If you find yourself unable to go to sleep after sometime, instead of rolling from one end of the bed to another, get up and out of your bedroom. You can try browsing through some reading material in the hall instead. Having said that, do not read something which excites you and keep you suspense. Reading some topics which otherwise normally bore you out would be a better choice. Of course there are a whole lot of other things which you can do other than reading. It's up to you but the general rule is do not keep turning on the bed as this is often a vicious cycle ¨C the more you roll from one end to the other, the more frustrated you become, the more frustrated you become, the more you are unable to sleep. Also do not do something which will keep you even more awake such as watching action flicks.

Next comes exercise. Regular exercise during the day often takes a bit out of you so that you doze of more easily at night. However, avoid late evening exercise as often shortly just after exercise, there is the paradoxical feeling of being more refreshed which may be due to hormonal events in our body or a sense of satisfaction and well-being of having work-out for the good of your own long term health.

Other more general tips will include avoiding caffeine-containing drinks including a can of coke, avoiding excessive daytime nap/sleep and avoiding large late meals. On the other hand, there is no harm in following the traditional practice of drinking a cup of hot milk to help you to go to sleep. For smokers and drinkers, you are however advised to avoid excessive smoking and alcohol before going to bed. Also it is generally believed that you should avoid thinking about problems be it past, present or future when you go to bed. Have a clear mind or just think about the comfort of your bed when it is bedtime.

So the next time you happen to lose sleep, you know there are many ways to make it easier for you to fall asleep rather than counting sheep in your head.