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Insomnia: 12 ways to better sleep

Submitted by Merlin on June 16, 2006 - 4:38am.

Insomnia

This looks like a useful resource for people who’re having trouble sleeping. It includes some educational hand-waving, tips on finding out why you aren’t sleeping, plus cautions on the usual outboard sleep solutions (from the environmental to the pharmaceutical).

Here’s their long-term, sustainable tips for developing better sleep hygiene:

  • Wind down prior to bedtime
  • Do not smoke (nicotine is a stimulant) or consume caffeine
  • Try warm milk or a light snack before bed (if this doesn’t interfere with another treatment you are using)
  • Exercise daily, but not right before bedtime
  • Take a warm bath, but not right before bedtime
  • Keep a regular bedtime and rising time
  • Get in the habit of going to bed when you are sleepy and sleeping where you sleep best
  • Reserve your bed for sleeping only
  • Don’t have any clocks visible to you
  • Reduce the amount of time you allow yourself to sleep until you fall asleep easily (your health care provider can help with this form of “sleep restriction therapy”
  • Schedule worry time during the day and put worries out of your head when it is time to sleep; you can write them down on 3x5 cards, and then let go of them
  • Get up if you have not fallen asleep in 15 minutes and practice a relaxing activity (e.g. handwork, reading a boring book) until you feel sleepy

Personally, I cast aside their hand-wringy warnings last night and treated myself to a cocktail of Melatonin and Valerian; slept like a lamb, I tells ya. Now on to cutting out tobacco, alcohol, caffeine, clock-watching, and worry. Yep. Need to get right on that.

What works for you? How do you beat insomnia?

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I count backward from a...

Submitted by Brian Jones (not verified) on June 16, 2006 - 6:31am.

I count backward from a huuuuge number.

If I can’t sleep, it’s usually because I’m worried about something.

If I’m worried about something, it’s usually money.

If I’m worried about money, counting backward from a smaller number isn’t helpful because I can’t help mentally adding, “…would sure come in handy right about now.”

So: 1000 “…would sure come in handy right about now.” 999 “…would sure come in handy right about now.” 998 “…would sure come in handy right about now.”

Larger numbers aren’t prone to this treatment, so far.