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First Move Against Insomnia
Insomnia is a complex problem, not given to simple solutions. Most experts agree that treatment should start with assessing and correcting sleep hygiene and habits.
Exercise
Regular exercise tends to benefit sleep, but not right at bedtime. Vigorous exercise, especially just before sleep, can cause arousal and delay sleep. You cannot force sleep on a given night by exercising excessively during the day. Exercise in the morning also has little beneficial effect on sleep. The best time to exercise is in the afternoon or early evening. But, even then, it probably won't help you sleep unless you exercise on a regular schedule.
Trying Too Hard
Trouble falling asleep, the most common form of sleep disturbance, may be brought on simply by going to bed too early. Sleep cannot be forced. You should not go to sleep until you are sleepy. If you turn in too early--even if you do fall asleep--you could experience a disturbed night's rest or could wake early without feeling refreshed. If you go to bed when you feel sleepy but find that you can't fall asleep, don't stay in bed brooding about being awake. It is best to get out of bed. Leave the bedroom. Read, sew, watch TV, take a warm bath, or find some other way to relax before slipping between the sheets once more.
Naps
Laboratory tests have shown that daytime naps disrupt normal nighttime sleep. Although many people feel like napping between 2 and 4 p.m. (siesta time), most sleep better if they don't nap during the day. Naps should not be used as a substitute for poor sleep at night. However, there are exceptions to this general rule. Many older people, in particular, do sleep better at night when they take daytime naps. But if you are a napper who sleeps poorly at night, your nighttime sleep might improve if you skip the naps.
Bedtime Snacks
If hunger keeps you awake, a light snack might help you sleep, unless it causes problems with digestion. Avoid heavy meals, alcohol, and caffeine-containing coffee, tea, and cola. For those who can tolerate milk, that old, time-tested remedy may work best.
Smoking At Bedtime
Nicotine stimulates the nervous system and can interfere with sleep. In one sleep laboratory study, smokers experienced greater difficulty than nonsmokers. Sleep patterns also improved significantly among chronic smokers when they abstained from smoking.
Alcohol
The effect of alcohol is deceiving. It may induce sleep, but chances are it will be a fragmented sleep. The sleeper will probably wake up in the middle of the night when the alcohol's relaxing effect wears off.
Regular Bedtime
The best way to sleep better is to keep a regular schedule for sleeping. Go to bed at about the same time every night, but only when you are tired. Set your alarm clock to awaken you about the same time every morning--including weekends and regardless of the amount of sleep you have had. If you have a poor night's sleep, don't linger in bed or oversleep the next day. If you awaken before it is time to rise, get out of bed and start your day. Most insomniacs stay in bed too long and get up too late in the morning. By establishing a regular wakeup time, you help solidify the biological rhythms that establish your periods of peak efficiency during the 24-hour day.
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