Insomnia: How to Manage it Without Meds

Do you find yourself laying awake at night, either unable to fall asleep or unable to stay asleep? I once had this problem. My doctor, as doctors too often do, prescribed me a medication without asking many questions at all. I picked up the prescription and began reading all the warning associated with it. Side effects listed ranged from hallucinations to comatose states. This was not something I wanted to take. Therefore I began to look for other ways to get a better night's sleep.

First, there are some obvious things you should not do before going to bed. Drinking caffeine is one of them. If you are having serious trouble sleeping, you may want to cut caffeine out of your diet all together. You should also avoid excessively sugary or sweet foods in the evening and anything that contains spices that may upset your stomach. You should also try to get up and go to bed at the same time every day. People who live on a steady schedule tend to feel more rested than others.

If you are having trouble falling asleep, exercise is a good way to burn excess energy. However, it is important not to exercise right before going to bed, as this will energize you and make it even harder to sleep. It is best to exercise in the morning or early afternoon. If you are having trouble waking up in the morning because you are not sleeping well, exercising in the morning can also help keep you alert for the day ahead of you.

Relaxation exercises can help to calm you and give you a more peaceful night's sleep. There are a variety of different relaxation exercises, any of which can be used. A simple way to relax is just to close your eyes, lie down, and imagine yourself in a favorite place. This should be done right before going to sleep. In fact, you may fall asleep while doing the exercise. This is not a bad thing - you were trying to get to sleep anyhow. Relaxation exercises are especially useful if you have been having trouble sleeping due to nightmares or nervousness.

There are also several folk remedies for insomnia. A very simple one is drinking a cup of warm milk before going to bed. There are also herbal teas that can help you get a better night's sleep. I prefer herbal teas over prescription medications because while they both make you drowsy, herbal teas do not have the side effects of most of the medications. I've also found that, while the tea makes you drowsy, the feeling is not as sudden or overpowering as it is with most medications.

Several companies make teas specifically to help people sleep. Usually they contain chamomile mixed with other herbs such as mint or blackberry leaves. While some of these teas may be a bit bitter, adding sugar is not recommended as this can keep you awake. If a chamomile tea does not help you, Celestial Seasonings makes a "Sleepy-time Extra" tea which also contains the herb valerian. Valerian is a fairly strong herbal sedative and I have found this particular tea quite helpful.

Using these methods alone I have gone from hardly sleeping an hour a night to sleeping a full 8 to 10 hours a night. Insomnia can be dealt with without the aid of prescription medications. Best of luck and pleasant dreams!