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| Get a Good Night's Sleep | What can I do to improve my sleep habits?
Some things you can do to help you sleep better:
• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends, even if you didn't get enough sleep. It will help train your body to sleep at night.
• Develop a bedtime routine. Reiterate the same thing every night before going to sleep. For illustration, take a warm bath and then read for 10 minutes every night before going to bed. Soon you will associate these activities with sleeping, and doing them will help make you sleepy.
• Use the bedroom only for sleeping or having sex. Do not eat, talk on the phone or watch TV while you're in bed.
• Make sure your bedroom is quiet and dark. If a sound is a trouble, use a fan to mask the noise or use ear plugs. If you have to sleep during the day, hang dark blinds over the windows or wear an eye mask.
• If you're still awake after trying to fall asleep for 30 minutes, get up and go to another room. Sit calmly for about 20 minutes before going back to bed. Do it as many times as you need to until you can fall asleep.
Will sleeping pills help?
Sleeping pills can help in some cases, but they are not a cure for insomnia. They're only a short term form of relief.
Sleeping pills are best used for only a few days. Continual use can lead to rebound insomnia. It occurs when a person quits taking sleeping pills and his or her insomnia comes back.
Sleeping medication can be unsafe to use if you have certain health problems. Ask the doctor if sleeping pills would be helpful for you.
Tips to help you sleep
• Avoid or limit your use of caffeine (coffee, tea, sodas, chocolate), decongestants, alcohol and tobacco.
• Exercise more often, but don't exercise within a few hours before going to bed.
• Learn to reduce or manage the stress in your life.
• Don't lie in bed worrying about things. Put off another time just for worrying. Example: spend 30 minutes after dinner writing down what's worrying you and what you can do about it.
• Try eating a light snack before going to bed, but don't eat too much right before bedtime. A cup of warm milk or some cheese and crackers may be all you need.
• Don't nap during the day if naps seem to make your insomnia worse.
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