Dealing With Insomnia Naturally - Top Tips For Good Sleep Hygiene... by Peter Kirwan

Chronic insomnia, known as long-term insomnia is caused by known, defined issues such as arthritis, asthma, depression etc, or medication you may be taking, or even because of substance abuse and would need to be treated by curing the underlying reasons before some type of behavioral therapy is carried out.

Acute insomnia, known as short-term insomnia is generally known to be caused by nothing other than a prolonged period of stress or anxiety and may not actually need any treatment other than some gentle brain re-training and an improved program of “Sleep Hygiene” – habitual bedtime routines.

A few top tips to help you get that good nights sleep;

Don’t eat too heavy a meal too close to bedtime – have a gap of at least three hours before bed. A light carb’ based snack an hour before bed can also help with sleep

Absolutely no late night caffeine, nicotine or alcohol – all stimulants that will prevent you falling to sleep or wake you during the night

Keep a regular exercise routine – not too close to your bedtime. Exercise will stimulate and revive you.

Try to go to bed at the same time every evening. The same applies for waking.

Avoid daytime cat-naps – you need to be tired enough at bedtime for sleep.

Your bedroom must be comfortable – correct temperature, dark, quiet etc. Wear ear-plugs or a darkening face-mask if you need to.

Only use your bed for sleep or sex - your mind will have only a sleep association.

Stick to a relaxing routine at bedtime – read a book, take a hot bath, listen to mellow music etc.

In summary; the need to re-train your brain and your way of thinking, along with a knowledge of exactly what type of insomnia you may be suffering from, is critical for ensuring you rid yourself of the misery of insomnia.

No matter what insomnia type you suffer with, using an appropriate "sleep hygiene" routine will go a long way to helping you fix your sleep problem.