Insomnia? 42 Simple Tips to Help You Get to Sleep
42 Simple Tips to Help You Get to Sleep, including some we're quite sure you've never seen before. They're all designed to help you deal with the tension, stress and anxiety that lead to insomnia, so that you can enjoy a good night's sleep.
Not every one of these insomnia techniques alone will get you to sleep, but a few of them at least should prove successful. Needless to say, there's no guarantee, and no attempt to provide medical advice.
With that caveat out of the way, we can only wish you good luck. And a good night's sleep.
Insomnia Tip #1
See a Doctor
Insomnia can be a symptom of physical disorders, although for most of us it's the result of tension, stress and anxiety -- and of course the more anxious we get about our insomnia, the worse it gets. If your doctor pronounces you a "healthy" insomniac, he might suggest some of the techniques provided here. Or she might prescribe drugs to help you get to sleep.
We suggest you try all these methods first, and use drugs only as a last resort. The decision, of course, is yours.
Insomnia Tip #2
Take a Warm Bath
It's a great way to relax your body. Don't overdo it, however. You merely want to relax your body, not exhaust it. Too long in hot water and your body is drained of vitality.
Use bath salts, or throw in Epsom salts and baking soda -- one cup of each. These will relax you and also help remove toxins from your body.
Insomnia Tip #3
Get a Massage
Have your spouse (or whoever) give you a massage just before going to sleep. If you can convince them to give you a full body massage, great. If not, even a short backrub and/or a face and scalp massage can be a big help. Have them make the massage strokes slow, gentle, yet firm, to work the tension out of your muscles and soothe you to sleep.
Insomnia Tip #4
Listen to Music or Other Audio
Play some soft, soothing music that will lull you to sleep. There are many CDs designed for that very purpose. Some are specially composed music, others simply have sounds of waves rhythmically breaking, or the steady pattern of a heartbeat. Some will lead you to sleep with a combination of music, voice and other soothing sounds.
We found one particular system that generates endless combinations of "go to sleep" sounds tailored to your specifications. it's called Pzizz, works on PC or Mac, is easy to use and very effective. You can even produce your own daytime nap and energizing sound recordings as well.
Of course if you don't have a CD player that will automatically turn off, we don't suggest this. If you have to get up and turn it off at the end, you've obviously lost its effect.
Insomnia Tip #5
Drink Warm Milk
A glass of warm milk 15 minutes before going to bed will soothe your nervous system. Milk contains calcium, which works directly on jagged nerves to make them (and you) relax.
Insomnia Tip #6
Drink Herb Tea
If you don't like milk - or are avoiding dairy products - try a cup of hot camomile, catnip, anise or fennel tea. All contain natural ingredients which will help you sleep. Most health food stores will also have special blends of herb tea designed to soothe you and help you get to sleep.
Insomnia Tip #7
Eat a Bedtime Snack
A small, low protein, high carbohydrate bedtime snack, such as juice and cookies, eaten about an hour before bedtime, can help you fall asleep sooner. (Pizza does not qualify.)
On the other hand:
Studies indicate that foods with large amounts of the amino acid L-tryptophan help us sleep better. These include warm or hot milk (but not cold milk), eggs, cottage cheese, chicken, turkey and cashews.
Try both food theories, and see which works best for you.
Insomnia Tip #8
Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol and Tobacco
It should be obvious, but some people forget that coffee is not the only drink containing caffeine. Tea (black, not herbal), chocolate and cola drinks are also high in caffeine.
Alcohol may feel like it's soothing you, but all it's doing is stupefying you. Research has shown that alcohol upsets sleep, preventing a deep rest. Same with tobacco. Avoid them all.
Insomnia Tip #9
Sleep in a Well-Ventilated Room
Fresh air (we know - it's hard in the wintertime) and a room temperature between 60-65 degrees will give you the best sleeping conditions. Any warmer and you'll toss and turn from the discomfort of being too warm. Keep the thermostat down and do your temperature-adjusting inside the bed -- with more or fewer blankets.
Insomnia Tip #10
Sleep on a Good Firm Bed
A firm bed will give your entire body the support it needs to really relax. It's better for your spine, too.
Insomnia Tip #11
Sleep on Your Back
It's the best position for relaxing, and allows all your internal organs to rest properly. If you must sleep on your side, do it on your right side, not your left. Sleeping on the left side causes your lungs, stomach and liver to press against your heart, causing stress on an organ that most of us find quite useful.
Never -- ever -- sleep on your stomach. It causes pressure on all your internal organs -- including your lungs, which results in shallow breathing. It can also, as you've no doubt discovered, cause a stiff neck and upper back problems.
Insomnia Tip #12
Get Some Physical Exercise During the Day
People with "mental" jobs, like office workers, have far more trouble with insomnia than do people who work physically hard all day. Even 15 minutes a day of exercise (at least half an hour before going to bed so your body will have a chance to slow down) will give your body the activity and oxygen it needs to help you relax more and sleep better.
Insomnia Tip #13
Keep Regular Bedtime Hours
Your body likes regular routines, whether you do or not. It likes to know that it's going to get up at the same time each day, eat at the same times, and go to bed at the same time. Not very exciting, maybe, but comfortable. So pick a reasonable and regular time to go to bed each night. And stick to it. Even if you don't think you're tired when the time comes. Your body will appreciate it. And after a while when it feels it can rely on the routine, it will begin to repay the favor by letting you get to sleep when you want.
Insomnia Tip #14
If You Can't Sleep, Get Up
Don't lie awake trying to get to sleep any longer than 30 minutes. If it goes that long, get up. Do something quiet and non-stimulating. When you feel tired again, go back to bed.
Insomnia Tip #15
Don't Sleep In
Get up at the same time every day, even on weekends and holidays. Once you've awakened, get up. Don't lie in bed awake, thinking about getting up. Just do it.
Insomnia Tip #16
Get Up Earlier in the Morning
At least try this when you're trying to set up your new regular bedtime routine. As much as you may hate getting up one-half hour earlier (or even more) than you really have to, you'll be that much more tired at night and more apt to get to sleep. Once you and your body have the confidence that you can get to sleep when you want at night, you can go back to your preferred wake-up-in-the-morning time.
Insomnia Tip #17
Keep Your Bed a Place for Sleep
Okay, and maybe for one other thing. But not for working, reading, watching television, doing crossword puzzles, or whatever else occupies you in the evening. Let your mind and body identify bed with sleeping.
Insomnia Tip #18
Avoid Naps
Sure, they're nice to do during the day, and if you couldn't sleep at night, you're grateful for any chance to sleep. But if you're really having trouble sleeping at night--and you're not a senior citizen who sleeps for small periods of time, skip naps. You'll be more tired at bedtime and more able to fall asleep.
Insomnia Tip #19
Avoid Illuminated Bedroom Clocks
Try to keep your bedroom as dark as possible. An illuminated bedroom clock is a source of light that can be extremely annoying if you're having a hard time getting to sleep. If you can't replace the clock, at least block its light with something.
Insomnia Tip #20
Counting Sheep
We finally figured out why it never worked for us. The old wives' cure for insomnia is to count bouncy little sheep leaping over a fence. No wonder it doesn't work. Bouncy sheep are hyperactive and wide awake. They're the last thing you need to dwell on when you want to go to sleep.
So try the variation that worked for us. Count sleeping sheep. Imagine a beautiful green meadow stretching to infinity. Every ten feet or so, right in a row, lies a peaceful, sleeping sheep. Imagine that you're just gliding by, almost floating. And that you pass by a sheep every 3 or 4 seconds (experiment to find which time interval works best for you -- it varies from person to person). Count the sheep and glide on to the next, and the next, and so on.
Take it from us. Sleeping sheep are much more effective.
Note - We found this recently on the Web:
Apparently in the 1970s two Harvard psychologists, Richard Davidson and Gary Schwartz, researched "counting sheep" as a classic way of dealing with insomnia. They concluded that counting sheep occupied both hemispheres of the brain simultaneously, preventing the type of disturbing brain activity that is often responsible for insomnia.
Insomnia Tip #21
Sleep with Your Head Facing North
And, obviously -- unless you have a particularly unusual body -- your feet facing south. This aligns your body with the magnetic field of the planet, bringing your own energies into harmony with those of the Earth. Sound like a pretty bizarre theory? Try it. You'll see what a difference it makes.
Insomnia Tip #22
Don't Watch TV or Read Before Going to Bed
Wait at least one-half hour (preferably longer) before going to bed after reading or watching television. We know; some people say that reading a detective story or some such escapist book helps put them to sleep. If it works for them, great. But it seldom worked for us. And it probably hasn't worked for you either.
The reason is that no matter how passively we watch television, or how innocuous the book we read is, our minds are still being stimulated. And an overstimulated mind -- along with anxiety and stress -- is what keeps us awake. It's all those thoughts in our head we have to get rid of before we can get to sleep. The last thing we need is more input into our heads from television or books.
Insomnia Tip #23
Toe Wiggling
A relaxed body is essential for a sound sleep. This may sound like we're contradicting what we just said about our minds keeping us awake, but it's no contradiction. Eastern sciences (such as yoga) have known for thousands of years that the mind and body are connected (actually they're not just connected, they're one, but the idea that they're connected is sufficient for our purposes here.) So if the mind is not relaxed, the body is not relaxed. Conversely, the body has to be relaxed for the mind to be relaxed. It's a package deal.
So how do you relax your body? We've already mentioned milk, herbal teas, exercise, and avoiding caffeine. But there are techniques you can do directly with your body. Toe Wiggling is one of them.
Lie on your back (where you should be in the first place) and wiggle your toes up and down 12 times, wiggling the toes of both feet at the same time. This will relax your entire body, inside and out.
How does it work? According to the science of Reflexology -- which has been around in other cultures for thousands of years -- your feet are a kind of master control panel for the rest of your body. "Meridians" in the body -- which are those channels of energy treated by acupuncture -- end up in the feet. So the ends of those meridians in your feet connect with every organ and every part of your entire body.
When you wiggle your toes, you are stimulating -- and thus relaxing -- your entire body. (Incidentally, this is a good place to mention that you can be energized and relaxed at the same time. It's a matter of the quality of that energy. If it flows freely and smoothly, you will be relaxed. If the energy flow in your body is restricted or blocked, you will be tense. And toe wiggling helps to bring about a relaxing, free-flowing energy.)
Note: This same exercise is also great first thing in the morning before getting out of bed in order to energize the body.
Insomnia Tip #24
Stomach Rub
This soothes down the digestive system and helps to bring about a deeper relaxation. An extra benefit is that it will help you to lose weight by improving the functioning of the digestive system.
Simply lie on your back and place your hand on your navel. Begin to make small circles in a clockwise direction as you gently glide your hand over your stomach. Let your circles gradually become bigger and bigger. When your circles reach the outside of your stomach, gradually reduce their size until you are back at your navel again. Then reverse the direction (to counter-clockwise) and do the same thing again. Repeat this whole series with your other hand. Do this several times.
Note: Food material moves through the colon in a clockwise direction. If you have trouble with constipation, make all your circles clockwise. If troubled by diarrhea, make all your circles counter-clockwise. Clockwise circles will alleviate the blockage, counter-clockwise circles will help solidify fecal material.
Insomnia Tip #25
Progressive Relaxation
This exercise is most effective when you tape record the instructions in advance, preferably in your own voice. This way you don't have to concentrate on remembering the instructions.
We'll give you the instructions here. You tape record them, with a short pause after each sentence to allow yourself time to actually do the sensing and relaxing.
Lie on your back, close your eyes, and begin to listen to the tape.
1. Feel your feet. Feel the weight of your feet. Feel your feet relax and sink into the bed.
2. Feel your lower legs. Feel the weight of your lower legs. Feel your lower legs relax and sink into the bed.
3. Feel your knees. Feel the weight of your knees. Feel your knees relax and sink into the bed.
4. Feel your upper legs. Feel the weight of your upper legs. Feel your upper legs relax and sink into the bed.
5. Feel your hands. Feel the weight of your hands. Feel your hands relax and sink into the bed.
6. Feel your lower arms. Feel the weight of your lower arms. Feel your lower arms relax and sink into the bed.
7. Feel your elbows. Feel the weight of your elbows. Feel your elbows relax and sink into the bed.
8. Feel your upper arms. Feel the weight of your upper arms. Feel your upper arms relax and sink into the bed.
9. Feel your buttocks. Feel the weight of your buttocks. Feel your buttocks relax and sink into the bed.
10. Feel your back. Feel the weight of your back. Feel your back relax and sink into the bed.
11. Feel your pelvic and belly area. Feel the weight of your pelvic and belly area. Feel your pelvic and belly area relax and sink into the bed.
12. Feel your chest. Feel the weight of your chest. Feel your chest relax and sink into the bed.
13. Feel your shoulders. Feel the weight of your shoulders. Feel your shoulders relax and sink into the bed.
14. Feel your neck, both front and back. Feel the weight of your neck. Feel your neck relax and sink into the bed.
15. Feel your skull. Feel the weight of your skull. Feel your skull relax and sink into the bed.
16. Feel your mouth. Feel any tension in your mouth. Feel your mouth relax and any tension slide off into the bed.
17. Feel your eyes. Feel any tension in your eyes. Feel your eyes relax and any tension slide off into the bed.
18. Feel your entire face. Feel any tension in your face. Feel your face relax and let any tension slide off into the bed.
19. Mentally scan your body. If you find any place that's still tense, relax it and let it sink into the bed.
Insomnia Tip #26
Deep Breathing
One of the main reasons many of us are tense is our breathing. Most people breathe very shallowly, using only the top part of their lungs. Deep Breathing allows us to use our entire lungs, providing more oxygen to our bodies, and energizing and rejuvenating every organ and cell in our bodies. It is probably the most effective and beneficial method of relaxation we've seen.
1. Lie on your back.
2. Slowly relax your body, starting with your feet and moving through every part of your body until you have reached -- and relaxed -- your face and scalp.
3. Do a quick check to see if you've missed any place. If so, relax it.
4. Slowly begin to inhale, first filling your lower belly, then your stomach area, and then your chest and the top of your lungs almost up to your shoulders. Hold for a second or two, then begin to exhale. Empty the very bottom of your lungs first, then the middle, then finally the top.
5. Continue this breathing for 4 or 5 minutes. Don't force your breathing; it's not a contest to see how much air you can take in. Just do it in a relaxed, peaceful manner.
6. After a while, imagine that you are resting on a warm, gentle ocean. The sun is shining peacefully on your body. Imagine that you rise on the gentle swells of the water as you inhale, and that you slowly descend as you exhale.
7. Continue this relaxing breathing as long as you wish (hopefully until you fall asleep).
Note: This is particularly effective when you do it after Progressive Relaxation -- if you haven't already fallen asleep!
Insomnia Tip #27
Visualize Something Peaceful
Just lie there with your eyes closed and imagine you're in your very favorite, most peaceful place. It may be on a sunny beach, swinging in a hammock in the mountains or your back yard, or all alone in a cave in the Himalayas.
Wherever it is, imagine you are there. You can see your surroundings, hear the peaceful sounds, smell the fragrance of the flowers, and feel the warmth of the sun or whatever sensations are there. Just relax and enjoy it -- and drift off to sleep.
Once you've found a place that's especially peaceful and effective, you'll find that the more you use it, the more you can count on it to help you relax and get to sleep. Its comfort and familiarity will make it more and more effective.
Insomnia Tip #28
Visualize Something Boring
We like this one in particular. The beauty of it is you can turn a negative into a positive. Just visualize that you are someplace that you have always found extremely boring. It could be listening to a particular teacher who was so boring that he or she almost always put you to sleep. Perhaps it's some friend or acquaintance whose incessant talk and theories put you to sleep. Maybe it's your work, maybe it's your commute each day.
Whatever it is, visualize it. And recapture that bored, tired, heavy, sleepy feeling that you always experience. Let that feeling spread through your mind and all through your body till you're filled with complete tiredness and sleepiness. It works.
Insomnia Tip #29
Imagine It's Time to Get Up
This is a neat one too. Kind of a variation on the previous technique. Imagine that you're not allowed to go to sleep. Imagine that your morning alarm has gone off and it's time to get up and go to work. You know how delicious that feeling is in the morning when it's time to get up but you're so tired and your eyes are very heavy and you shouldn't do it but you just want to fall right back to sleep for a few minutes more?
Well, we find you can often bring that about just by imagining as fully and realistically as possible that it's morning, that you have to get up, put your feet on a cold floor, stagger around the house, take a cold shower, and do whatever unpleasant things you associate with getting up in the morning. The more unpleasantly you can imagine it, the more you won't want to do it. And the more you'll just want to stay in bed and sleep. Try it. You'll be surprised how tired and sleepy your mind can make your body.
Insomnia Tip #30
Quiet Ears
This technique is an ancient Eastern meditation as well as a great way to fall asleep.
1. Lie on your back with your hands behind your head, fingers interlocked, and your palms cupping the back of your head. Get as relaxed as possible (This position make take a little while to get used to).
2. Place your thumbs in your ears so that you are pressing the outer flap of your ear and blocking the entrance to the ear canal.
3. Lie quietly and listen for a high-pitched sound that you will gradually hear inside your head.
4. Lie there for 10 to 15 minutes and concentrate on that sound. Then put your arms to your sides and go to sleep. (Don't worry about all the stories of people who have ringing in their ears. This is different -- and natural.)
Tips from insomniacs-
Not Thinking
Smoke Yourself to Sleep
Yawning
Sex—Alone or with Others
Backwards Counting / Mental Computer
South, Not North
Earplugs
Insomnia Tip #38
Secure Place
"A technique that I have found most useful is to envision myself in some ideal spot: a house, say, that is perfectly secure and warm while a blizzard rages outside. I picture a window next to my bed, with snow striking against it. Then I work out the layout of the house, the heating system, the surroundings; and I make them all ideal so that the idea of security and no disturbing thoughts can intrude."- Edward
Insomnia Tip #39
Bedtime Routine
"It helps to develop a bedtime routine. Have a series of things that you always do when going to sleep. For example, before going to bed, feed the dog, fold laundry, check the locks. Humans are creatures of habit.
Remember the guy with the dogs? He rang a bell and they knew it was dinnertime. It's the same theory. Doing this will 'program' your body to know that it's bedtime." - Erinn
Insomnia Tip #40
Hot Water Bottle
"To help you sleep after a high stress day, lie down with a hot water bottle on your stomach, close your eyes and breath deeply, so the bottle rises and falls. We carry a lot of tension there and the weighted heat releases it." - Elaine
Insomnia Tip #41
Green Cows—and Other Animals of Color
"Actually, I feel a little silly passing this along since I'm up right now with, well, insomnia. But, a technique I've generally had good success with is to visualize animals in the wrong colors. For example, blue cat, green cow, red elephant, and so on. After coming up with a color/animal combination I try to actually visualize it and then I move on to the next one. Coming up with the combinations and then trying to picture the animal seems to keep my mind occupied and distracted from whatever stressful thoughts were keeping me awake and it gets boring enough that I can generally fall asleep pretty quickly. I've shared this with two coworkers with insomnia and they've reported that it helped them as well." - Candace
Insomnia Tip #42
Short Walk Before Bed
Taking a short walk before bed—assuming you live in an area where that's perfectly safe. He finds the light exercise often helps him get to sleep.
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