Sleepless night after sleepless night can be downright unbearable. Discover some helpful home remedies for getting the sleep you need tonight -- and every night.
Don't torture yourself. The worst thing that an insomniac can do is to lie in bed tossing and turning. If you can't fall asleep after 15 to 20 minutes, get up and do a quiet activity, such as reading, watching TV, or listening to relaxing music. Then, go back to bed and try again.
Say no to naps. If you nap, you'll have more trouble getting to sleep the next night, thereby compounding your insomnia. It's best to let yourself get good and sleepy so that it will be easier to get to sleep the next night.
Try earplugs. Sometimes, insomnia is caused by being awakened repeatedly by loud noises. Often, the sleeper is not aware of what awakened them. Try sleeping in a quieter room, or wear earplugs.
Exercise. Doing aerobic exercise, such as walking, cycling, jogging, or swimming, helps with sleep. Don't exercise too close to bedtime, though -- exercising in the morning or afternoon is best.
Get a comfortable bed and pillows. Sleep may elude you if your bed is too hard or too soft, or if your pillows aren't just right.
Don't drink alcohol. Although alcohol can make you feel drowsy and may actually put you to sleep, it has the unpleasant side effect of waking you up later on in the night with a headache, stomachache, or full bladder. In addition, once alcohol's sedative effect wears off, there's a rebound effect that actually makes you more likely to have trouble falling back to sleep.
Cut down on caffeine. Caffeine, by its nature, stimulates your brain. Limit your coffee intake to two cups a day. Starting at noon, consume no foods or beverages that contain caffeine.
Don't switch beds or move to the couch. It is important to associate your bed, and only your bed, with sleep.
Try to maintain a normal schedule. Perhaps the most important rule for people with insomnia is to keep a strict sleep-wake schedule, even on weekends. If you can't sleep one night, get up at your usual time the next morning and don't take any naps. Chances are you'll be ready for a sound sleep by the next night.
Confine work to the office. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex. No work, no eating, no television, and no arguing with your bed partner.
Take a hot bath. A hot bath taken two hours before bedtime is a wonderful way to relax your body and make it ready for sleep. For most people, taking a bath closer to bedtime may be stimulating and may delay sleep (of course, there are always exceptions, so experiment with the timing if you need to).
Establish a relaxing bedtime ritual. When mothers bathe their children or read to them every night before bedtime, they are reinforcing a signal that it's time to settle down and get ready for sleep. Establishing such a ritual may also be helpful for adults.
Prepare your bedroom for sleep. The best sleep environment is one that is dark, quiet, comfortable, and cool, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
Don't eat before bed. Finish eating two or three hours before bedtime.
Try a sleeping pill. You're not admitting defeat by asking your doctor for a prescription sleeping pill or by trying an over-the-counter (OTC) remedy. However, most prescription pills should not be used for more than a month at a time. They should also not be used for insomnia at high altitudes, since that type of insomnia may be caused by trouble breathing and a lack of oxygen, and taking sleeping pills at high altitudes may slow your breathing rate even further.
Some doctors don't endorse OTC sleeping pills, since they can cause side effects such as drying out the mucous membranes in your mouth, nose, and throat (they often have antihistamines as ingredients) and can leave you drowsy the next day. And, of course, if you are pregnant, are nursing a baby, or have a serious medical problem, you should consult your doctor before taking any drugs. Sleep medications may also worsen snoring and sleep apnea, a dangerous condition in which breathing is labored during sleep.
Never take sleeping pills throughout the night. If you do choose to take sleeping pills, make sure you only take your dose before you go to bed. If you take them when you wake in the middle of the night, they won't have a chance to wear off before morning, and you're likely to be sleepy during the day.
Evaluate your other medications. Certain prescription medications, such as those for asthma and thyroid problems, may cause insomnia. Check with your doctor if you suspect that one of your medications is causing your insomnia.
Be your own sleep scientist. There is no one formula for perfect sleep -- different things work for different people. The important thing is to give everything a fair and persistent trial (for at least a week or two, not just one night) and see what works best for you. Keep a sleep log, a notebook of what works and what doesn't.
There's no magic trick to treating insomnia, but some of the home remedies outlined above -- and on the next page -- might just be the recipe you need to get back to sleep.
