The Keys to Beating Insomnia and Getting a Good Night's Sleep

Hello... my name is Joe and I'm a clockwatcher. Like the song " Tainted Love", I find myself sometimes tossing and turning, watching the clock. I wonder why it is that when I most need the rest, I spend my night clockwatching. It is a self-defeating process of sleep a little, turn and look at the clock, sleep a little more. It isn't as if I'm worrying about anything. I just seem to keep thinking ahead to morning.

Clockwatching falls into the area between simple poor sleep and full blown insomnia. It has been estimated that 35% of the population suffers from poor sleep at any given time. Poor sleep adversely affects emotions and mortality. Not to mention the morning drive. Sleep is meant to be restorative not retarding.

I probably bring it on myself though. I am a caffeine user. I'm beginning to think I'm stuck in a bad cycle: I drink coffee to wake up and stay alert during the day because I've had a poor night's sleep because I drank coffee to wake up and stay alert during the day (to infinity and beyond)... That being said, restful sleep is probably the result of a combination of lifestyle and brain chemistry. Some of the responsibility rests on me as well, for my own fight against insomnia.

Tips for stopping insomnia

1. Take a hot bath. Use bath oils or incense and create your mood. Soft music and teas are useful to sooth the mind and relax the body. I recommend any kind of meditative music which allows your mind and imagination to wander with ease. A good light incense is good if you don't mind smoke.

2. Light Yoga exercises. Yoga is a very calming form of stretching and can be helpful in prompting a restful sleep. A light routine will not only relax the body but it's practice of concentration and meditation diverts the mind from the external to the internal.

3. Sleep Aids. I have tried sleep aid such as Tylenol PM and Nytol and Sominex. Personally they help me sleep but I feel sluggish and drugged the next day. I recommend herbal sleep aids such as Valerian root, or tea mixtures like chamomile, catnip, lavender, lime flower, passion flower, hops or skullcap.

4. Make your bedroom a refuge. Keep your bed clean and fresh and neatly made. A sense of order will calm the nerves. Keep clutter, bills, and documents off of your dressers and night stands. You may not be thinking of them but your subconscious may be using your precious sleep time to work out solutions. Do not talk about bills, budgets, or other problems just before going to bed for the same reason. Your subconscious mind is powerful problem solver. Stressful problems will carry over into your sleep.

5. Lastly, at least for me, cut down on caffeine laced beverages. I know it is hard to turn down that latte or that double espresso on a sluggish morning. But the payoff may just be a better morning the next day!

Sleep and Happiness

Putting these tips into practice may be the first step in stemming a serious problem for many people. My best advice is to learn to relax, enjoy life, and use sleep for it's natural purpose. All things are cyclical. Everything needs to rest and recoup it's energy or it will wear out. Getting enough sleep is part of the equation for health and happiness. So stop clockwatching and get on with your good life!.