If you find yourself tossing and turning night after night instead of relaxing and sleeping, you are not alone. Almost one-quarter of people in the USA experience some form of insomnia.
The resulting effects on job performance and personal relationships as well as day to day life are very real and very disturbing. If you are tired of being tired these tips may help you on your way to achieving a good nights sleep.
1. Make sure the temperature in your bedroom is comfortable. Studies have shown that the ideal temperature for sleeping is between 65 and 70 degrees. A room that is too warm may cause you to wake up stuffy and be unable to fall back asleep. On the other hand, a room that is too cool will leave you shivering. Everybody has a different comfort level you may need to experiment with this to find your ideal sleeping temperature.
2. Get rid of annoyances. If you are someone who is sensitive to noise, the smallest of noises will disturb you. (I know I am one of those people.) The best way to combat annoying noise is to block it with white noise. There are devices available just for this purpose, but many people find that a fan running in the bedroom makes just enough sound to mask annoying noises.
3. Establish a bedtime and a wake-up time. Even though it sounds somewhat strange when you are having trouble sleeping, it is important to be consistent in the time you go to bed and the time you get up. Initially, you may not be able to go to sleep, but you should still try to go to sleep at the same time each night. The same with your wake up time. You may be really tired and will probably want to continue sleeping, but you need to get up anyway. By setting and keeping a consistent schedule, you will train your body to help you sleep.
Helping yourself overcome insomnia is often a game of trial and error. What works for one person may not work for you, but there are many things you can try that will help. The trick is to keep trying to find what works for you.