Insomnia drug treatments and medicines often have potentially serious drawbacks of being either addictive or tolerance-forming. For short-term insomnia the most effective cure often invoves simple change in lifestyle, food (and drink) consumption or a just simple home remedy. This article outlines 5 effective and simple treatments for insomnia symptoms which do not involve drugs.
Treatment #1 - Check What You Are Eating And Drinking
The kinds of food that you consume, especially in the evenings, can have a huge influence on getting to sleep at night. Treating insomnia can really often be as easy as avoiding those foods which contain excessive protein or complex (processed) sugars in the hours before bed.
Carbohydrate-rich foods can actually have a beneficial effect on falling asleep. Drinks which contain caffeine should be avoided in the evenings for anyone with sleeping problems, cutting back on coffee and caffeine containing sodas (such as colas) in the afternoon should also be involved in the treatments of ongoing insomnia.
Treatment #2 - Treating Your Sleeping Environment
Curing insomnia must begin in bed! Small changes to your sleeping environment can make a very large difference in the quality of your sleep.
Firstly, you shoudl ensure that you have plenty of room for natural twists and turns in the night. Blockages are a common cause of night-time disturbances. Materials of your bedding and a firm pillow are also beneficial.
Finally, the room's temperature - both when you go to bed and abrupt changes in nightime temperature - can have a major effect on sleep. In particular you should make sure there are no drafts or sudden increases in temperature during the night.
Treatment #3 - Keeping A Sleepers Diary
This non-drug treatment actually has a dual aspect. The central idea is that by entering all of the important facts about your pre-sleep routine and then 'quality scoring' each night can help you to identify patterns and behaviors which are inhibiting sound sleep.
Secondly, the very fact that you are keeping a diary makes it less likely that insomnia inducing behavior will be undertaken in the first place - it is your own awareness of the issue ensuring that you think about each behavior before it is made.
Treatment #4 - Mental Exercises And Other Relaxation Methods
Distracting your own thoughts and 'busy mind' can be a great way of falling asleep for those who are kept awake by stress or anxiety. The idea actually dates back to the famous 'counting sheep' method, and now includes many variations - including imagining restful scenarios and even meditation.
Relaxation combines mental focus with the tensing and relaxing of muscle groups starting at the feet and working up. This feels great in addition to preventing unwanted worry - an excellent non-drug insomnia treatment.
Treatment #5 - Noise To Mask Noise
Unwanted noise is a major reason for the symptoms of insomnia. This can include any unavoidable noises such as those from the road outside or from a busy family with different sleeping times.
Ear plugs do work, however many people find these uncomfortable and obtrusive. A popular drug-free treatment for insomnia is to mask unwanted noises with either 'white noise' (for example from a fan) or specially designed CDs which mimic the brain-waves responsible for sleep.
Treatment #1 - Check What You Are Eating And Drinking
The kinds of food that you consume, especially in the evenings, can have a huge influence on getting to sleep at night. Treating insomnia can really often be as easy as avoiding those foods which contain excessive protein or complex (processed) sugars in the hours before bed.
Carbohydrate-rich foods can actually have a beneficial effect on falling asleep. Drinks which contain caffeine should be avoided in the evenings for anyone with sleeping problems, cutting back on coffee and caffeine containing sodas (such as colas) in the afternoon should also be involved in the treatments of ongoing insomnia.
Treatment #2 - Treating Your Sleeping Environment
Curing insomnia must begin in bed! Small changes to your sleeping environment can make a very large difference in the quality of your sleep.
Firstly, you shoudl ensure that you have plenty of room for natural twists and turns in the night. Blockages are a common cause of night-time disturbances. Materials of your bedding and a firm pillow are also beneficial.
Finally, the room's temperature - both when you go to bed and abrupt changes in nightime temperature - can have a major effect on sleep. In particular you should make sure there are no drafts or sudden increases in temperature during the night.
Treatment #3 - Keeping A Sleepers Diary
This non-drug treatment actually has a dual aspect. The central idea is that by entering all of the important facts about your pre-sleep routine and then 'quality scoring' each night can help you to identify patterns and behaviors which are inhibiting sound sleep.
Secondly, the very fact that you are keeping a diary makes it less likely that insomnia inducing behavior will be undertaken in the first place - it is your own awareness of the issue ensuring that you think about each behavior before it is made.
Treatment #4 - Mental Exercises And Other Relaxation Methods
Distracting your own thoughts and 'busy mind' can be a great way of falling asleep for those who are kept awake by stress or anxiety. The idea actually dates back to the famous 'counting sheep' method, and now includes many variations - including imagining restful scenarios and even meditation.
Relaxation combines mental focus with the tensing and relaxing of muscle groups starting at the feet and working up. This feels great in addition to preventing unwanted worry - an excellent non-drug insomnia treatment.
Treatment #5 - Noise To Mask Noise
Unwanted noise is a major reason for the symptoms of insomnia. This can include any unavoidable noises such as those from the road outside or from a busy family with different sleeping times.
Ear plugs do work, however many people find these uncomfortable and obtrusive. A popular drug-free treatment for insomnia is to mask unwanted noises with either 'white noise' (for example from a fan) or specially designed CDs which mimic the brain-waves responsible for sleep.
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