Helpful Advice For People Who Cant Fall Asleep

By Iva Cannon


Many people suffer from insomnia because they worry so much about different things. If you cant fall asleep because you are thinking about various problems, try to set aside a specific time of the day to sort things out in your head. During that time, make a list of what you need to tackle, or write in a journal, and then do not think about it anymore when you go to bed.

Try to reduce your stress by learning different relaxation techniques to soothe the mind and body. You can use muscle relaxation therapy, deep breathing exercises and meditation to calm yourself before going to bed. You can even consider trying cognitive therapy, which helps certain people with insomnia to identify negative thoughts that may contribute to their sleeplessness and correct them. Cognitive therapy can also help you understand sleep patterns as you age and set reasonable sleep goals.

You should limit the amount of naps you take during the day. Many people nap to catch up on their rest, especially if they feel tired during the day. However, you need to establish regular sleeping patterns for your body. This means you have to train yourself to associate rest with certain cues, such as darkness, so that your body recognizes when it is bedtime. Too many naps can affect the quality of your rest at night.

It is also a good idea to exercise regularly, as this can improve your sleep quality. However, if you exercise immediately before you go to bed, this may have a stimulating effect on your body. Try to complete your exercises at least two or three hours before you go to bed to allow yourself time to wind down.

Establish a routine to wind down in the evenings before bed. This can help to free your mind of stressful thoughts. Do some enjoyable activities such as reading, watching a funny film, or listening to your favourite music. You can have a warm bath or do some yoga to relax your mind and body.

Use your bed only for sleeping in and having sex with your spouse or partner. Try not to use it for recreational activities like watching TV and eating. Do not bring your work to bed with you; leave it in your office or den. If you prefer to read at night, read only books that are enjoyable and relaxing. Try not to read the newspaper as you may become stressed at any negative news reports.

Therapists often try to recondition a patient to relieve their insomnia. This new conditioning helps to associate your bed with rest. If you cannot rest at all in your room, move to another room, as you may experience better rest in there.

You also need to try to establish a regular sleeping cycle. This will teach your body to set its internal clock to a regular schedule and help it to respond to various cues for waking up and going to sleep. You can program your body this way by waking up at the same time every morning. Do this every day, even on the weekends.




About the Author: