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1.Turn off your mind
Keep yourself from rehashing a stressful day of worries by focusing your thoughts on something peaceful and non-threatening, says Michael Stevenson, Ph.D., a psychologist and clinical director of the North Valley Sleep Disorders Center in Mission Hills, California. Play some soft, soothing music as you drift off or some environmental noise, such as the sound of a waterfall, waves crashing on a beach, or the sound of rain in a jungle. The only rule: Be sure it's not intrusive or distracting.
2.The herbal approach
Help for insomnia may be as close as the herbal aisle of your grocery store. Here are a few herbs to try.
Valerian. This is the best-studied herbal sleep aid. Research shows that extracts of the root not only help you fall asleep faster but also improve sleep quality. Try taking this herb 30 to 45 minutes before bedtime. The typical dosage is one 150- to 300-milligram capsule standardized to 0.8 percent valeric acid.
Kava kava. When insomnia results from anxiety, this herb is particularly effective. Studies suggest that kava kava promotes sleep by acting upon the brain's emotion centers and by relaxing muscles. Taking one or two 400- to 500-milligram capsules an hour before bed should help you get the sleep you need.
Chamomile. A bright, daisy-like flower, chamomile has an age-old reputation for calming nerves and gently aiding sleep. Drinking one or two cups of tea before bed will help soothe you into sleep.
3.Don't waste your time in bed
As you grow older, your body needs less sleep. Most newborn babies sleep up to 18 hours a day. By the time they're 10 years old, their need usually drops to 9 or 10 hours.
Experts agree that there is no "normal" amount of sleep for an adult. The average is 7 to 8 hours, but some people operate well on as few as 5 hours, while others need up to 10 hours. The key is to become what experts call an efficient sleeper.
Go to bed only when you're sleepy, advises Edward Stepanski, Ph.D., a sleep specialist who was formerly the director of the Sleep Disorders Service and Research Center at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. If you can't fall asleep in 15 minutes or so, get up and do something pleasantly monotonous. Read a magazine article, not a book that may engross you. Knit, watch television, or do a puzzle. Don't play computer games that excite you or perform goal-oriented tasks such as the laundry or housework.
When you feel drowsy, go back to bed. If you can't fall asleep, repeat the procedure until you can. But remember: Always wake up at the same time in the morning.
4.Don't turn your bed into an office or a den
"If you want to go to bed, you should be prepared to sleep," says Magdi Soliman, Ph.D., a professor of neuropharmacology at Florida A&M University College of Pharmacy in Tallahassee, Florida. "If there's something else to do, you won't be able to concentrate on sleep."
Don't watch TV, talk on the phone, argue with your spouse, read, eat, or perform mundane tasks in bed. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex.
5.Say no to a nightcap
Avoid alcohol at dinner and throughout the rest of the evening, suggests Dr. Stevenson. And don't fix a so-called nightcap to relax you before bed. Alcohol depresses the central nervous system, but it also disrupts sleep. In a few hours, usually during the middle of the night, its effects wear off, your body slides into withdrawal, and you'll wake up.
6.Try sex before bedtime
For many, it's a pleasurable and mentally and physically relaxing way to let loose before settling down to sleep. Indeed, some researchers have found that hormonal mechanisms triggered during sexual activity help enhance sleep.
But again, it depends on the person, according to James K. Walsh, Ph.D., the executive director and senior scientist at the Sleep Medicine and Research Center of St. John's/St. Luke's Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, and adjunct professor of psychology at Saint Louis University. "If sex causes anxiety and creates problems, it's not such a good idea. But if you find it enjoyable, it can do a lot for you."
7.Light up your life
Researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) found that bright lights in the morning could help chronically poor sleepers set their circadian rhythms, or "body clocks," on a more regular pattern. According to Jean R. Joseph-Vanderpool, M.D., who conducted sleep research there for many years, many people find they just can't get started in the morning. That's why when his research subjects woke up, say, around 8:00 a.m., they were placed in front of high-intensity, full-spectrum fluorescent lights for two hours—strong light that resembles what you might encounter on a summer morning in Washington, D.C. Those lights, in turn, told the body it's morning and time to get moving. Then, in the evening, they would wear dark glasses so that their bodies would know it was time to begin to wind down.
After several weeks of the therapy, Dr. Joseph-Vanderpool's patients reported more alertness in the morning and better sleep at night. At home, he says, you can accomplish the same effect by walking around the neighborhood, sitting in the sun, or doing some yard work as soon as you arise. During the winter, consult your doctor about the best type of artificial light to use.
8.Eat a light snack before bedtime
Bread and fruit will do nicely an hour or two before you hit the hay, says Sonia Ancoli-Israel, Ph.D., a psychologist and a professor in the department of psychiatry and research director of the Sleep Center at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine. So will a glass of warm milk. Avoid sugary snacks that can excite your system or heavy meals that can stress your body.
Use common sense. If you're older, don't drink a lot of fluids before bed, or bathroom duty might call in the middle of the night.
9.Use mechanical aids
Earplugs can help block out unwanted noise, especially if you live on a busy street or near an airport, says Ancoli-Israel. Eyeshades screen out unwanted light. An electric blanket warms you, especially if you're a person who always seems to be on the brink of a chill.
10.Avoid stimulants after twilight
Coffee, colas, and even chocolate contain caffeine, the powerful stimulant that can keep you up, so try not to consume them past 4:00 p.m., says Merrill Mitler, Ph.D., the director of research for the Division of Chest, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the Scripps Clinic Sleep Disorders Center in San Diego, California. Don't smoke either; nicotine is also a stimulant.
11.Learn and practice relaxation techniques
The harder you try to sleep, the greater the chances you'll end up gnashing your teeth all night rather than stacking some Zzzs. That's why it's important to relax once you're in bed.
"The one problem with insomnia is that people often concentrate too much on their sleep, and they press too hard," Dr. Stevenson says. "The key to successfully falling asleep is to reduce your focus and avoid working yourself into a frenzy."
Biofeedback exercises, deep breathing, muscle stretches, or yoga may help. Special audiotapes can teach you how to progressively relax your muscles.
Here are two techniques that doctors have found particularly successful:
Slow down your breathing and imagine the air moving slowly in and out of your body while you breathe from your diaphragm. Practice this during the day so that it's easy to do before you go to bed.
Program yourself to turn off unpleasant thoughts as they creep into your mind. To do that, think about enjoyable experiences you've had. Reminisce about good times, fantasize, or play some mental games. Try counting sheep or counting backward from 1,000 by 7s.
12.Question your medication
Certain medications, such as asthma sprays, can disrupt sleep. If you take prescription medication routinely, ask your doctor about the side effects. If she suspects that the drug could be interfering with your sleep, she may be able to substitute another medication or adjust the time of day you take it.
13.Create a comfortable sleep setting
"Insomnia can often be caused by stress," says Dr. Stevenson. "You get into bed, and you're nervous and anxious, and the nervous system is aroused, and that impairs your ability to sleep. Soon, the bedroom becomes associated with sleeplessness, and that triggers a phobic response."
You can change that by making the bedroom as comfortable a setting as possible. Redecorate with your favorite colors. Soundproof the room and hang dark curtains to keep out the light.
Buy a comfortable bed. It doesn't matter whether it's a coiled-spring mattress, a waterbed, a vibrating bed, or a mat on the floor. If it feels good, use it. Wear loose-fitting sleep clothes. Make sure the bedroom's temperature is just right—not too hot, not too cold. Be sure there's no clock within view that can distract you throughout the night.
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