Emily is Smiling

Insomnia is one of the worst disorders you could possibly have, in my opinion.  You feel restless, nervous, and uncomfortable.  All you want is to be able to go to sleep.  I've suffered from insomnia for ten years, so over time, I've been able to find tips and tricks that sometimes work to curb my insomnia for a night or two.  Check out the last ten tips here. 

Here are the next ten tips for beating insomnia:

Try to resolve stress in your life before you go to bed.  You just got into a huge fight with a good friend.  You just broke up with your significant other.  You're afraid you're about to lose your job.  You have a huge exam tomorrow.  Some stresses you can't deal with... others, you can.  If you're in an argument with someone, try to resolve it before bedtime or chances are, you're going to worry about it all night long.  If you have an exam coming up, study for it during the day until you're confident about making a good grade. 

Try melatonin.  Melatonin is a natural herb that is supposed to help you sleep better at nights.  I took the recommended dose of melatonin every night for at least a couple of months and it didn't seem to do any good... but that's just me.  A bottle of melatonin is only $15 or so at your local health store or even Wal-Green's.  Feel free to try it out. 

Put on lotion right before you go to bed.  Not only can lotion feel soothing and relax your muscles, it will also cool down your body temperature, which will make it easier for you to fall asleep.  I always put on lotion before I go to bed.  I use a special lotion from Bath&Body Works that is a special aromatherapy recipe that is supposed to be extra soothing to help people sleep.  My favorite is Lavender Vanilla body lotion, which you can purchase here, but there are other scents, along with body mists, pillow mists, and other things.

Write out your frustrations before bedtime.  Do you keep a journal?  If not, this might be a good time to start.  Writing out every frustration and worry about your future and your day an hour or so before bed can help you release your worries enough to fall asleep.  A horrible feeling is to lie in bed and worry, worry, worry.  Writing everything out can help close that part of your mind so it will focus more on sleeping.

Relax different parts of your body.  This sounds silly, but when you're in bed, focus on relaxing your toes, your ankles, your legs... until your entire body is relaxed and comfortable.  Your body needs to feel relaxed in order for you to sleep and simple relaxation exercises can help that.

Watch a funny television show around an hour or two before you go to bed.  Laughing actually helps to relax your body and your mind.  Try watching a silly sitcom such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Aire or The Nanny.  Be sure not to watch TV too close to bedtime because the bright light could actually wake you up a little.

Avoid a big meal in the evenings.  Don't go to a nice restaurant or eat a huge family meal at nine o'clock at night.  You'll want to eat your big meal around five or six, but definitely not past eight o'clock.  Indigestion and simply being full can keep you awake.

Sleep alone.  Sometimes sleeping in the same bed or bedroom with somebody can cause insomnia.  The sound of breathing, snoring, talking, or kicking... or merely being concerned about waking the person in the room with you can keep you awake all night.  If you have severe insomnia and you share a room with your sibling, friend, or spouse, it may be time to sleep in your own bedroom... for a while, at least.

Go to an uncomfortable spot for a while.  This might sound crazy, but it actually works.  When I've spent hours tossing and turning, sometimes I take a pillow and go stretch out on my staircase or curl up in a chair and try to sleep.  For some reason, the change of environment often makes me sleepy and I try to doze.  Stay in your uncomfortable spot for at least half an hour... and when you return to bed, it will feel as soft as a feather compared to your uncomfortable position before.

Avoid thinking about the consequences of no sleep.  You probably know the feeling of thinking, "If I don't sleep, I'm going to be miserable all day.  I won't be able to focus.  I won't be able to have a good time.  I'll..."  No.  Try to think of it this way.  "If I can't sleep tonight, I'll be a little tired tomorrow, but I'll survive.  In fact, I'll probably be able to sleep even better the next night."  Worry will only cause your insomnia to increase.

Tune in on Monday for the next ten tips for insomniacs.