Simple Ways to Relieve Insomnia Without Prescription Medication
Our thanks to Gabriel Patel for this contribution to our blog.
Sleep disorders are surprisingly common. In fact, Science Daily says about one in four Americans struggles with insomnia every year. It’s normal for things like work stress, major life transitions, and emotionally upsetting events to trigger brief episodes of insomnia. Even something as simple as an old mattress or a noisy new neighbor can cause sudden sleep problems.
Fortunately, 75% of people with acute insomnia will recover without developing persistent or chronic sleep issues. The best part? You don’t need to reach for addictive sleep medications to resolve your battle with sleeplessness. Here are some simple but effective ways to improve your sleep naturally.
Invest in a New Bed
Old mattresses are a common cause of sleeplessness and are sometimes the culprit behind health issues like sleep apnea and allergies. If you’re finding it hard to get comfortable at night or you’re waking up stiff in the morning, a new mattress can make a world of difference in your sleep quality.
Finding the right mattress is a must, so read some online reviews before purchasing a bed to ensure your new investment will be a good fit for your sleep style and body type. For example, mattresses made by Tuft & Needle tend to provide better support for petite and medium-sized sleepers but can cause too much sinkage for people over 250 pounds. Whether you sleep on your side, back, or stomach is also important to keep in mind during your mattress search.
Stick to a Consistent Sleep Schedule
If you go to bed at different times every night, you may be fighting against your body’s natural internal clock. Try to stick to a regular sleep schedule every single day—yes, even on weekends! This will help condition your body and brain to start winding down at the same time every night. You should also find it much easier to wake up on those early weekday mornings if you avoid sleeping in on the weekends.
If you need your weekend sleep-ins to catch up on missed sleep during the week, try to go to bed earlier. The CDC recommends that adults get at least 7 hours of sleep each night! While this might mean going to bed much earlier than you’re used to, it’s vital to happy and healthy daytime functioning. If you have trouble getting on track, you can use your phone to remind you.
Engage in a Relaxing Bedtime Routine
Going to bed right after writing emails to clients or dealing with family stress will leave your mind reeling for hours after your head hits the pillow. Separate your daytime stressors from your bedtime with a relaxing routine.
Start your routine at the same time each evening. Engage in activities that you find calming, such as gentle yoga, meditation, reading, or listening to a podcast. It can also help to begin your routine by writing a to-do list for the following day, so you can get any lingering obligations or responsibilities out of your head for the night. Recent research reported by CTV News found that people who wrote a thorough to-do list before bed fell asleep faster than those who did not!
Avoid Stimulation Before Bed
It’s important to keep stimulating activities far away from your relaxing bedtime routine. Electronic devices, for example, emit a stimulating light wavelength that can interfere with your sleep-triggering hormones, so staring at them can be counterproductive. High-intensity exercise and heavy meals right before bed can also keep you awake.
If you need a snack, reach for sleep-promoting foods like yogurt or tart cherry juice. Most importantly, avoid stimulants like caffeine and nicotine before bed. And while alcohol is not a stimulant, it can also interfere with your sleep quality and lead to waking in the night.
Suffering through an episode of insomnia can be very frustrating. While it may be tempting to reach for a quick fix in the form of medication, adopting healthy sleep habits will serve you much better in the long run. If nothing you try is helping, consider making an appointment with your doctor to get to the root of the problem.
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