Overcoming insomnia tips

Author: Jessica Conars
Published: Nov 11 2013

Are you feeling tired? Of course you are, you haven't had a good nights sleep in ages! Of course this is understandable, considering all the foolish things people do right before they go to bed. Here were are going to look at some useful tips to combat this vile condition, without having to resort to taking pills.

Regulate Your Biological Clock

Clocks were very well utilized long before us humans ever came into existence. Our biological clock is just as accurate as it is demanding. If you are used to going to bed at random hours, and waking up whenever you feel like it, there is almost 100% certainty that your biological clock is out of tune. What you should do is to make up a sleep/wake schedule and follow it accordingly. You see tremendous changes in both your awaking patterns, and your mood in general. Know that your biological clock is also a ruthless debt collector; but unlike a real debt collector, this loan shark collects hours. Let's say that a normal person should sleep around 7-8 hours during the night. If you had a night where your total sleep was let's say 5 hours, then the remaining 3 hours are what is considered a sleep debt. That means you must repay those hours at some point, and the more sleep debt you have the more sleepy you will get over time.

Limit the Consumption of Ethanol and Carbohydrates

Many people over-indulge themselves right before bed. Alcohol alone is a terrible sleep aid contrary to what most people say. Carbohydrates, especially simple carbohydrates (glucose, lactose, fructose etc) tend to make people hyper-active, because of the large quantities of chemical energy released in the bowel. No chocolate, no sugary beverages. Combining alcohol with sugar is particularly unwise, for they form a sort of a synergy that is sure to wreck your sleeping patterns. If you absolutely have to eat something before bed, make sure that it is carb-free.

Exercise On A Regular Basis

I know what you are thinking, “Why should I go through all this trouble just for one night's sleep”? Well, besides from the obvious reasons (health, vigor, stamina), exercising relieved the body from all that pumped up energy. It is not necessary to go into great lengths when it comes to training; a mild evening jog is all you need to get rid of that 'jittery' feeling you sometimes get when you stay awake at night. Combining proper diet, vitamins and regular exercise will help you fight insomnia, and be healthier at the same time.

Stay Away From Psychoactive Drugs

Nicotine, caffeine, benzodiazepines are just to name a few. We already know the stimulating effects of coffee, but no one actually suspects that caffeine is found in many other beverages, and in much larger quantities. Soda drinks and ice cream can have tremendous amounts of caffeine, that is easily absorbed in the body, making us feel nervous even when we are sleepy. Tobacco products are well known for their stimulating effect as well. Nicotine constricts the blood vessels, forcing our heart to pump harder. If you are a regular smoker, it is understandable if you wish to light up just one more before sleep. Make sure you do it at least one hour before going to bed, at least. Finally, drugs such as benzodiazepine can temporarily solve your insomnia problem, but the risks associated with addiction far out-weight any positive effects that you might experience.

Author Bio: Jessica Conars is passionate freelance blogger and writer. She loves to write about health and other different topics. She currently works a part time job at http://www.qualitycleaninglondon.co.uk/cleaning-services-n1-islington/ and she has enough time to share her experience.

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