We have all been there, where we are lying in bed for hours unable to fall asleep. It has become natural to pick up our mobile phones to entertain us for a few hours until we manage to get some shut-eye, or we start counting sheep, or catch up on that episode of Game of Thrones that we have missed. You should know however, this is only making things worse for your sleeping patterns. Everyone reacts and experiences things in a different way, and it has been said that our fluctuating hormone levels make us ladies more likely to suffer from insomnia. Some reasons include being pregnant, our menstrual cycle or going through menopause, hence why you need to find the best sleeping strategy that works for you. The average sleeping time required for most people is 8 hours but you should find out what is your best personal average hours needed as everyone is different. Experimenting with bedtime rituals is the best way to find your own way of relaxing.
One important tip is to keep your sleeping patters as fixed as possible. Unfortunately, that does include sleeping and wake up at the same time on the weekends too. Take naps if necessary instead of waking up too late and further pushing your bedtime to a later time. Being smart about taking naps is important, as sleeping too much could be making the problem worse instead of regulating it especially if you already suffer from insomnia. You can regulate your sleeping patters naturally by getting as much light as possible in the day time and reducing light exposure at night. So, try not to stay in a dimmed or low light environment during the day, and during the night try avoid any bright lights like a television, an iPad or your mobile phone and make sure it is dark when it is time to sleep.
Another tip is to be careful with what you eat and drink before bed time. Many may think that alcohol is a good way to put you to sleep. However alcohol reduces sleep quality, ultimately not allowing you to rest as well as your body needs. Additionally, big meals right before bedtime is another culprit of bad sleep quality. In this instance your body will be too busy working on digestion than focusing on sleep mode. I think it goes without saying that caffeine before bedtime will keep you awake all night. What you may not know, however, is that caffeine will continue to work for up to 12 hours after drinking. So, if you’re a regular caffeine drinker after a late lunch or dinner, this could be the reason why you are unable to fall asleep. You can get more helpful sleep tips here.
If after trying all the self-help advice provided you find you are still having difficulty with sleep you should see a doctor to find out if you have an underlying problem. You should also be wary if you have frequent headaches after waking up, inability to move once you have woken up or when trying to sleep, physically acting out dreams or falling asleep at inappropriate times. However, if you are traveling and suffering from jetlag, you could be prescribed some medication to help with falling asleep. Melatonin is the medication of choice to help with jet lag and you can get this online here.