If you can’t sleep at night, you’re not alone. Surveys suggest that many people experience insomnia on a regular basis. If you’re having trouble sleeping, making simple changes can often help. Here are five suggestions, which may help to banish sleepless nights for good.
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- Change your evening routine
Do you get in from work and immediately start checking emails? Are you falling asleep on the sofa at 9 o’clock, but not getting into bed until 1 am? If so, making changes to your evening routine could make a positive difference to your sleeping habits. Try to leave work at the office and avoid doing anything, which may stress you out when you get home. Give yourself at least an hour to relax and rest. After you’ve eaten and caught up with the day’s events, take it easy. Watch television, call a friend or run a bath. Let your body and mind unwind. Try and go to bed when you feel tired and get into a routine. If you get into bed at a similar time each night, your body clock will adapt quickly, and you should nod off easily. You should try and aim for at least six hours of good quality sleep per night.
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- Avoid caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant, which can make it tricky to get to sleep. If you are a fan of a hot drink before bed, always make sure you go for decaffeinated versions. It’s also wise to avoid alcoholic drinks and sugary foods. Ideally, it’s best to swerve caffeinated drinks after 3pm.
- Tackle snoring
Do you live with a snorer? Are you tired of laying there in the early hours, desperately trying to block out the noise? Snoring is a common problem, which can be caused by various factors. Drinking alcohol, smoking, allergies and being overweight can cause you to snore. You may also snore if you’ve got a cold, or you are sleeping on your back. If you share your bed with a snorer, try and urge them to take steps to stop snoring. Research the best pillows for a side sleeper to encourage a change in sleeping position. Avoiding drinking alcohol at night can also help. If lifestyle changes don’t make a difference, encourage your partner to see a doctor.
- Exercise
Exercise tires your body out, but it can also help to reduce tension and stress. Many studies have proven that people who exercise sleep better than those who don’t. Exercising in the morning or early afternoon is best. This is because exercising stimulates the body and mind and releases endorphins. Exercising late at night can give you a boost, which will make falling asleep more difficult.
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- Adapt your sleeping environment
Are you kept awake at night by noisy neighbors? Are your phones or tablets beeping away in the early hours? Is it too light for you to sleep? Your sleeping environment can play an important role in the quality of your sleep and your ability to drift off. Invest in blackout blinds to block out streetlights. Wear earplugs if you live in a noisy neighborhood. Keep tablets and laptops downstairs and put phones on silent. Turn your bedroom into a peaceful oasis, which makes you feel calm and relaxed.
If you’re having trouble sleeping, follow these tips. If you still can’t sleep and you’ve tried everything, seek medical advice.
