20 Tips for Better Sleep When You Have Insomnia - WebMD

Regular exercise helps you sleep better -- as long as you don't get it in too close to bedtime. A post-workout burst of energy can keep you ... SleepDisordersSlideshowsMedicallyReviewedbyNayanaAmbardekar, MDonMarch07,2021Thesoftblueglowfromacellphone,tablet,ordigitalclockonyourbedsidetablemayhurtyoursleep.Tip:TurnoffTVs,computers,andotherblue-lightsourcesanhourbeforeyougotobed.Coveranydisplaysyoucan'tshutoff.You’llrestbetteratnight.Butifyouhavetosnoozewhilethesun'sup,keepitto20minutesorless.Napintheearlypartoftheday.Tip:Overcomeanafternoonenergyslumpwithashortwalk,aglassoficewater,oraphonecallwithafriend.Doyouglanceatitseveraltimesanight?Thatcanmakeyourmindracewiththoughtsaboutthedaytocome,whichcankeepyouawake.Tip:Putyouralarmclockinadrawer,underyourbed,orturnitawayfromview.Yourlowerbackmaynothurtenoughtowakeyouup,butmildpaincandisturbthedeep,restfulstagesofsleep.Putapillowbetweenyourlegstoalignyourhipsbetterandstressyourlowerbackless.Tip:Doyousleeponyourback?Tuckapillowunderyourkneestoeasepain.Blameyourpillowifyouwakeuptiredwithastiffneck.Itshouldbejusttherightsize--nottoofatandnottooflat--tosupportthenaturalcurveofyourneckwhenyou'rerestingonyourback.Doyousleeponyourside?Lineyournoseupwiththecenterofyourbody.Don’tsnoozeonyourstomach.Ittwistsyourneck.Tip:Usegoodposturebeforebed,too.Don'tcraneyournecktowatchTV.Sneezes,sniffles,anditchinessfromallergiescanleadtolousyshut-eye.Yourmattressmayholdthecause.Overtime,itcanfillwithmold,dustmitedroppings,andotherallergytriggers.Sealyourmattress,boxsprings,andpillowstoavoidthem.Tip:Air-tight,plastic,dust-proofcoversworkbest.Yourbedroomshouldfeelrelaxing.Don’tsitinbedandwork,surftheInternet,orwatchTV.Tip:Thebestsleeptemperatureformostpeopleisbetween68and72degrees.Gotosleepandwakeupatroughlythesametimeeveryday,evenonweekends.Thisroutinewillgetyourbrainandbodyusedtobeingonahealthysnooze-wakeschedule.Intime,you'llbeabletonodoffquicklyandrestsoundlythroughthenight.Tip:Getoutinbrightlightfor5to30minutesassoonasyougetoutofbed.Lighttellsyourbodytogetgoing!Coffeeinthemorningisfineformostpeople.Butassoonastheclockstrikesnoon,avoidcaffeineinfoodsanddrinks. EvensmallamountsfoundinchocolatecanaffectyourZZZslaterthatnight.Tip:Readlabels.Somepainrelieversandweightlosspillscontaincaffeine.Regularexercisehelpsyousleepbetter--aslongasyoudon’tgetitintooclosetobedtime.Apost-workoutburstofenergycankeepyouawake.Aimtofinishanyvigorousexercise3to4hoursbeforeyouheadtobed. Tip:Gentlemind-bodyexercises,likeyogaortaichi,aregreattodojustbeforeyouhitthesack.Don’teatheavyfoodsandbigmealstoolate.Theyoverloadyourdigestivesystem,whichaffectshowwellyousleep.Havealighteveningsnackofcerealwithmilkorcrackersandcheeseinstead.Tip:Finisheatingatleastanhourbeforebed.Alcoholcanmakeyousleepyatbedtime,butbeware.Afteritsinitialeffectswearoff,itwillmakeyouwakeupmoreoftenovernight.Tip:Warmmilkandchamomileteaarebetterchoices.Wanttoloweryouroddsofneedingnighttimetripstothebathroom?Don’tdrinkanythinginthelast2hoursbeforebed.Ifyouhavetogetupatnight,itcanbehardtogetbacktosleepquickly.Tip:Keepanightlightinthebathroomtominimizebrightlight.Dimthemaroundyourhome2to3hoursbeforebedtime.Lowerlightlevelssignalyourbraintomakemelatonin,thehormonethatbringsonsleep.Tip:Usea15-wattbulbifyoureadinthelasthourbeforebed.Faucetdrips,nearbytraffic,oralouddogcanchipawayatyoursleep.Andifyou'reaparent,youmightbealltooawareofnoisesatnightlongafteryourchildrenhaveoutgrowntheircribs.Tip:Useafan,anairconditioner,orawhitenoiseappormachine.Youcanalsotryearplugs.Nicotineisastimulant,justlikecaffeine.Tobaccocankeepyoufromfallingasleepandmakeinsomniaworse.Tip:Manypeopletryseveraltimesbeforetheykickthehabit.Askyourdoctorforhelp.Acat'soradog'snightmovescancutyoursleepshort.Theycanalsobringallergytriggerslikefleas,fur,dander,andpollenintoyourbed. Tip:Askyourvetoranimaltrainerhowyoucanteachyourpettosnoozehappilyinitsownbed.Putasideanywork,touchydiscussions,orcomplicateddecisions2to3hoursbeforebed.Ittakestimetoturnoffthe"noise"oftheday.Ifyou’vestillgotalotonyourmind,jotitdownandletgoforthenight.Then,aboutanhourbeforeyouhitthesack,readsomethingcalming,meditate,listentoquietmusic,ortakeawarmbath.Tip:Even10minutesofrelaxationmakesadifference.Somesleepmedicinescanbecomehabit-forming,andtheymayhavesideeffects.Ideally,pillsshouldbeashort-termsolutionwhileyoumakelifestylechangesforbetterZzzz's.Askyourdoctorwhat’sOK.Letthemknowifyoursleeplessnesslastsforamonthormore.Theycanchecktoseeifahealthcondition--suchasacidreflux,arthritis,asthma,ordepression--oramedicineyoutakeispartoftheproblem.ShowSourcesIMAGESPROVIDEDBY:1)EricAnthonyJohnson/81a 2)PaulBradbury/OJOImages 3)LilliDay/Photodisc 4)JacobHutchings/DigitalLightSource 5)JoseLuisPelaezInc/Blend 6)CharlieAbad/Photononstop,inset:AndrewSyred/PhotoResearchers,Inc. 7)SiriStafford/Stone 8)RadiusImages 9)SlivinskiPhoto/Photographer'sChoice 10)MarkusBernhard/Taxi 11)DaviesandStarr/DigitalVisionandThinkstock 12)TonyCordoza/Photographer'sChoice 13)Thinkstock 14)VilhjalmurIngiVilhjalmsson/Flickr 15)PASIEKA/SciencePhotoLibrary 16)AdamGault/OJOImages 17)NickVedros&Assoc./Photographer'sChoice 18)EleaDumas/BrandXPictures 19)DavidElliott/Iconica 20)BlakeSinclair/WorkbookStockREFERENCES:QantaAhmed,MD,sleepspecialistattheWinthrop-UniversityHospitalSleepDisordersCenterinMineola,N.Y. NationalSleepFoundation:"JetLagandSleep,""CognitiveBehavioralTherapyforInsomnia,""Can'tSleep?WhattoKnowAboutInsomnia,""TheSleepEnvironment."AmericanAcademyofSleepMedicine:"SleepHygiene–TheHealthyHabitsofGoodSleep." Tworoger,S.Sleep,November2003;vol26(7):pp830-6. Sleepbetter.org:"17HealthfulSleepTips." PaulZolty,MD,SleepspecialistGeorgiaLungAssociation. 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