What to do when you can’t sleep
July 27, 2006 by laura
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Every now and again the insomia dragons raise their very ugly heads….it happens to all of us. Don’t fight it, embrace it. Here are some tips to try when you are faced with insomnia. Courtesy of msnbc.com
Avoid alcohol, caffeine and nicotine….oh and try to avoid a heavy meal too close to bedtime.
Make sure your bedroom is comfortable, dark, quiet, and cool. Conisder buying an air conditioner or a humidifier. If you like to be warmer, buy really fun flannel pajamas.
Keep the laptop and tv out of the bedroom. This is my biggest downfall. I blog from my bed. Such a bad habit. Work belongs at the office….keep it in there.
If anxiety keeps you from falling asleep, schedule a 15 minute “worry time” during the day. You get 15 minutes only, so use that time wisely. I find that writing helps me…..and of course the meditation thing works too.
Make a routine, go to bed at the same time every night…and practice relaxation routines such as muscle relaxation and meditation…..ahhh meditation, its such a good thing, and EVERYONE can do it.
Skip the nap. Oh horrors!!!! They say anything longer than a 15 minutes power nap will cause you to struggle with sleep. Tell me something, who naps for only 15 minutes a day?
Work out either in the morning or late afternoon. NOT within 3 hours of bedtime.
So those are the tips from msnbc….hope they are helpful for you.
Thanks for a great post, but none of those things worked for me. I discovered I had a bonified sleep disorder and require meds for sleep–something to do with my neurotransmitters. Insomnia is prevalent among folks with fibromyalgia. In fact, lack of good quality sleep makes pain/fatigue issues worse. The things you listed, though, ARE good advice.
Hi Vicki
These are just things to try, when one decides to get off the meds. I took pills for a long time to help me get some quality sleep…..until i made an informed decision with the help of my doctor to get off the meds and try other methods. These days I am med free and I am healthier than I have been in 10 years.
meds help, but there are lots of different answers out there.
I am glad to hear that you have found something that helps you.