6 Easy-to-follow Remedies To Combat Insomnia

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Posted January 10, 2013 by Guest Author

Picture this: You have spent the entire day slogging it out in the office or doing chores at home. Your back is broken, your head is aching and all your eyes can do is close of their own volition. What’s the only thing on your mind? I’m pretty sure it’s falling flat on your bed and shutting your eyes and snoozing without a care in the world. And maybe you’d probably do that too. But then your daily stressful life is taking its toll on you and all you can do when you end up on bed is think about what else needs to be done, where you stand in life and where you’re going with it. You then sit up, think of a solution and then try sleeping again. But sleep still manages to evade you. Even the sheep you’re trying to count seem to have your problems branded on them. What’s worse is you go to work the next day and you’re all cranky and irritated and you take out your frustration on everyone within your field of vision. Lack of sleep can be absolutely lethal to you and your surroundings. So what do you do about it? Here’s presenting five tips to help you sleep blissfully and save whatever sanity you have left.

1. Have a Glass of Warm Milk.

Milk is known to lull people to sleep. Milk, as we all know, is fully loaded with calcium, which is known to have direct calming effects on frazzled nerves, and soothing the nervous system. It comes as no surprise then that milk is known as one of the best ways to be drawn into your dream world.

2. Meditate or Pray.

Yes, I know it seems all deep. But meditating before you sleep gives you peace of mind that guarantees fitful sleep. It’s easy to do, really. Just close your eyes and try blocking out all your thoughts. If that is difficult, buy a guided meditation tape. For those of you who use smart phones, a lot of them have apps you can download that help in meditation. Praying helps because you know you have an anchor keeping you safe.

3. Eat a Light and Early Dinner.

Research shows that people who eat a rich or late dinner or worse, both, often find it difficult to sleep properly at night. Try and eat an early dinner and if that’s not possible, eat light. Try shifting to soups and salads at night. There are innumerable salad-dressings you can experiment with so you don’t get bored, at the same time manage to get good sleep.

4. Avoid Watching TV or Using the Computer Right Before you Sleep.

These activities tend to leave a lasting impression on your mind especially when you’re just about to sleep. Also avoid anything scary, tragic or anything that could have a negative effect on your mind. You don’t want to end up spending hours thinking about what you saw or heard.

5. Don’t Bring the Office at Home.

Seems clichéd, but then, it’s important to keep work at work itself. Once you leave work, it is best you switch off. If you have to work at home, be sure to finish early and give yourself some time to cool off. No work is important enough to really lose your health over.

6. Maintain a Before-Sleep Ritual.

When it comes to sleep, make sure you have a fixed habit that you follow right before falling asleep. For instance, once you’re tucked into bed, close your eyes and start thinking about one specific train of thought. It could be a scene from your favourite movie, an imaginary conversation with your crush or well, just anything you like to think about. Just remember, it has to be the same thought or the same activity. What happens is the brain, eventually, learns to associate that one act with sleep. So, after a certain point in time, all you have to do is start thinking and the next thing you know you’re sleeping away to glory.

You can thank Helen Sanders from Krown Hypnotherapy for this lovely and insightful article. She is a trained therapist who enjoys nothing more then reading a good book and engaging in an intelligent repartee with her peers.