Overcoming Insomnia : Tips to Sleep in Blissful Slumber

Tossing and turning in a fit of insomnia is no fun at all.  Yet, 1/3 of all people suffer from insomnia to some degree.  Some people have an acute or short-term case lasting a few days to weeks.  Other people suffer from chronic insomnia which can last months or even years. One thing is for sure, we have all suffered from a disruption to our blissful slumber at some time or another. Fortunately, there are some things we can do to overcome insomnia.

Tips To Overcome Insomnia

• Establish a routine.  Go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time in the morning. Your body will respond to those cues and be ready for sleep at the same time you are going to bed at night.  Follow a routine before bed with activities that make you relax such as reading or taking a hot bath.  Feeling relaxed when you climb into bed prepares your body and your mind for a blissful slumber.
• Try white noise by putting a fan on in your room.  The white noise is often soothing and promotes sleep.  Some people prefer a white noise machine at their bedside such as the Marpac SleepMate 980A Electro-Mechanical Sound Conditioner.  The Marpac is smaller than a fan and has many options for just the right amount of noise for you. Plus it does not make you cold!
• Try earplugs or an eye mask to decrease surrounding stimulation that might be keeping you awake, such as noise or light.

• Drinking warm milk isn’t just an old wives tale.  It has been proven to  a promote sleep and comfort.
• Chamomile Tea is soothing and does contain properties that help you relax.  It could be just the trick to help you fall asleep at night.  Chamomile is also known to be an antispasmodic and contributes to pain relief.  A little less pain might be just enough to help you get a good nights sleep.
• Vitamin B complex helps convert tryptophan to serotonin.  Warm milk has a lot of tryptophan in it so this is a good supplement to take if you are a warm milk before bed enthusiast.  Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is important in helping us sleep.  Tryptophan is converted to serotonin when it passes the blood brain barrier.  However, it is difficult for this to occur so taking a vitamin B complex supplement daily and a warm glass of milk at night could enhance your blissful slumber.
• Magnesium can help relax tense muscles and promotes a good snooze. Magnesium decreases the release of cortisol in our body.  Cortisol is a hormone released by our adrenal glands during times of stress.  Magnesium is an anti-stress nutrient also known as a natural tranquilizer.  Stress depletes magnesium and magnesium relieves stress. If your magnesium levels fall too low you begin to feel on edge and stressed out.  That in turn depletes your magnesium….you see the problem here.  Obviously you can not sleep well if you are stressed out.  Magnesium supplements might be the thing for you to enhance your rest, especially during times of stress. Magnesium is also responsible for more than 300 metabolic activities in our bodies.
• Melatonin is a hormone can be used short-term to break a cycle of insomnia and establish a regular sleep pattern.
• Limit coffee consumption to the morning only.  Caffeine is just wonderful if you are cramming for a final the next day and plan to be up all night studying.  It is great for a little perk in the morning.  It is just not good for a restful night, for obvious reasons.
• Exercise daily to increase fatigue and promote sleep.  Studies have shown that people who exercise have better quality sleep at night. Time your workout to end at least 4 hours before your sleep time.

• Avoid fluids after 8 pm.  The urge to urinate in the middle of the night is sure to wake you from your peaceful slumber. Avoid heavy meals later in the evening, although a light snack may help you sleep.  That glass of warm milk might be just the ticket for you.
• Take a hot bath right before bedtime.  You will tuck yourself in feeling relaxed and drowsy.  Relaxed and drowsy is a perfect combination to enhance a good nights sleep!

The next time you are tossing and turning and pining for a blissful slumber, try some of these treatments to overcome insomnia. Sleep well!

We would love to know, what helps you to overcome insomnia?