Insomnia: Dealing Day-to-Day

Insomnia is a common concern for many people in America and worldwide. It causes insufficient or inadequate sleep that can directly affect your waking life by leaving you feeling tired and drained throughout the day, without the energy you need to function.

A number of different causes can lead to insomnia, including the medicines you take and the conditions you take them for. Lifestyle choices also play a major role in the development and persistence of insomnia.

Treatment options for insomnia are strongly linked to prevention. You don't get back the sleep you've lost; rather, you make sure you get proper sleep in the future. There are numerous tips to keep in mind on a day-to-day basis when dealing with insomnia:

1. Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
Many foods and drinks, including coffee, soft drinks, chocolate and tea, contain caffeine. Caffeine can also be found in energy drinks, pills and gums. Foods and drinks that contain caffeine should be avoided during late afternoon or evening hours. The energy that caffeine provides can keep you awake, or, if you do get to sleep, make that sleep restless and short.

Alcohol is another problem before bedtime. Although alcohol does speed the onset of sleep, it increases waking during the latter half of the night. Furthermore, sleep induced by alcohol is more likely to be light and not restful, and you'll wake up without the energy you should have gained while sleeping.

2. Avoid eating or drinking too close to bedtime.
Foods and beverages are a source of energy. Consuming these energy sources at a time when you should be winding down for the night can interrupt your sleep. Avoiding foods that may cause heartburn, such as tomato products and spicy foods, also helps to prevent insomnia. This is because lying down shortly after eating makes heartburn much worse and makes falling asleep more difficult. Even when you do get to sleep, the heartburn can wake you up or otherwise disrupt your sleep.

3. Avoid nicotine.
Nicotine has been linked to difficulty falling asleep and problems waking up. Furthermore, withdrawal from nicotine can occur quite rapidly, especially in people who are heavy smokers. Because sleep occupies several uninterrupted hours, or at least should do so, you cannot get the nicotine fix required to stave off withdrawal symptoms. Many smokers find that they wake up at night simply because they are craving a cigarette.

Cigarettes are not the only sources of nicotine, however. You can also find nicotine in cigars and smokeless tobacco. These sources of nicotine can cause all the same sleeping problems as cigarettes, so they also need to be avoided.

4. Exercise wisely.
Regular exercise will help your insomnia, but you have to time it right. Exercise can cause a feeling of rejuvenation and extra energy, so exercising too close to bedtime can cause difficulties falling asleep. However, exercising 20 to 30 minutes a day at least an hour or two before bedtime may help you to fall sleep and sleep soundly throughout the night.

5. Get light exposure at the proper times.
Changes in light help to tune your circadian rhythm, which is important in falling asleep and waking up. In general, simplified terms, humans are programmed to be awake when there is plenty of light and go to sleep when it gets dark. Because of this, too little exposure to sunlight during the day can cause sleep problems at night. In addition, bedrooms should be kept dark during sleeping hours so light does not interfere with slumber.

6. Control your sleeping environment.
Certain environments are more conducive to sleep, whereas other factors may disrupt sleep. For example, extreme temperatures and environmental noise can disrupt sleep. Environmental noise can be minimized with ear plugs, rugs, heavy curtains or drapes, or double-pane windows. It is also important to sleep on a comfortable mattress.

7. Use your bed as intended.
A bed is designed as a platform on which you sleep. To ensure a consistently sound and full night's sleep, be sure to use the bed only for sleep and sex. The bed should not be used for reading, eating or watching television. You may want to move the television out of your bedroom entirely.

If you consistently use the bed for activities that are not conducive to sleep, you may find yourself too tempted to pick up a book or reach for the remote when you should be settling down for sleep. In fact, if you're not tired, don't go to bed. Laying in bed waiting for sleep does not typically make insomnia go away. If you are unable to fall asleep within 15 minutes, get up and do something boring. Return to bed when you're tired and closer to sleep.

8. Maintain consistent sleep and wake times.
A regular schedule of sleeping and being awake helps to keep your circadian rhythm in steady tune. Try to go to bed and get up and the same times every day, both on weekends and weekdays. Sleeping in on weekends interrupts this schedule and does not help you to "catch up" on lost sleep.

It also helps to avoid or regulate nap times. Daytime naps may interfere with nighttime sleeping. If possible, avoid daytime naps entirely. However, if you must nap, restricting nap times to 20 or 30 minutes reduces the impact they may have on your sleep schedule.

9. Practice relaxation techniques before bedtime.
If you're not relaxed, it can be hard to fall asleep and your sleep may be less than sound. So, get in the habit of relaxing before you head to bed. This can help to ease you into sleep much more easily. Relaxation techniques that work for many women include hot baths, gentle music, meditation or prayer. You can experiment with these and other techniques to find which ones are right for you.