Five Tips to Beat Insomnia
Getting a good night’s sleep is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Fortunately, if you’re having difficulty sleeping, you don’t have to simply ignore the problem and hope it goes away. There are simple changes you can make to your lifestyle that may help you get your much-needed rest.
1. Exercise, ideally every day. This positive stress will tire out your body in a good way — just be sure not to exercise too close to bedtime (within three hours), as it could keep you up.
2. Create a relaxing bedtime routine. Take a bath before bed, brush your teeth, get into your PJs and turn on some soothing music that will let your mind know it’s time for slumber.
3. Stretch a bit before you lie down. You can literally stretch out some of the “kinks” and tension of the day.
4. Don’t work before bed, either on the computer or on your phone. If you work or do other mentally trying activities too close to bedtime, you may have a hard time relaxing for sleep. Put your phone in a different room to resist the temptation to check mail in the middle of the night.
5. Don’t drink caffeinated or alcoholic beverages near your bedtime. If you have an herbal drink, make sure it’s consumed about 1 and ½ hours before sleep so you’re not disturbed by running to the bathroom.