7 Tips for Dealing with Insomnia
Updated: Feb 4, 2022
Insomnia can be quite common. Everyone struggles to fall asleep at times. It can be frustrating to just lie in bed wanting nothing other than to just fall asleep. The longer it takes, the more anxious you become about it.
Fortunately, we can all survive without a few nights of sleep, but it can be uncomfortable. It also makes everyday life more challenging until we can get caught back up on our sleep.
Take an active approach when dealing with insomnia:
-> Get up on time. Sleeping in can create insomnia. Maybe you’re not awake long enough to be tired at night. Make yourself get up on time, even if you didn’t sleep well. Otherwise, you’re just creating a bigger challenge for yourself.
-> Get up earlier. Maybe you’re getting up on time, but you’re simply sleeping too much. Some people need less sleep than others. Experiment with an earlier wake up time.
-> Do something physical each day. If you’re mentally stimulated all day, but aren’t getting enough physical stimulation, you might have trouble sleeping at night.
-> Do something mental each day. Perhaps the opposite is true. You might be physically active all day but engage in little mental activity. You need both to sleep soundly.
-> Avoid eating within three hours of going to bed. Digesting food requires a lot of energy and can be quite stimulating. Allow your body a few hours to digest your food before attempting to sleep.
-> Avoid caffeine. Caffeine can be a challenge for many people. The medical community often suggests a cut-off time of 2PM.
-> Avoid drinking within two hours of bedtime. Avoid drinking any liquids within two hours of heading to bed. That should be enough time for your body to process the fluids, and you can empty your bladder before bed. Otherwise, you might be getting up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom.
If after implementing all of these tips, you are still suffering from insomnia, then it’s time to get in to see me. Lab work will show us if your cortisol rhythm is off, or if there is a thyroid or other hormonal imbalance that is causing your sleep patterns to be thrown off. We can get to the bottom of this and have you sleeping like a baby again!