Contributed by Sharon T.
I have been battling insomnia for many years and have gotten advice from everyone, some good and some bad. Drink hot milk or a glass of wine. No, you need to take a hot bath. Exercise right before bed to make your body tired! Read a little before bedtime to relax your mind. Well, I have tried them all, but none of them seem to work. For one, milk doesn’t help and neither does a glass of wine. They may make me drowsy but both make my rest uneasy. A hot bath may seem relaxing at the time, but it doesn’t do anything for my racing mind. Exercise revs me up and the books I read I cannot put down.
But I have found some solutions that have helped me out. Here are my top five:
Exercise. Just not before bed, but earlier in the day. I use a 10 minute workout download and workout just before lunch and dinner. A brisk walk helps too for those who work in the office. Walk 8 or 10 blocks really fast right before lunch. It will help you sleep, and give you a pick up to get through that 3 pm slump.
No caffeine. I am actually really susceptible to caffeine so if I want the coffee I go for decaf. But even if you don’t think it affects you, stop by 3 pm.
De-stress. One thing that stresses me out are all the things I have to do or all the stresses I have. Talking about them or writing them down helps me realize it can all wait till the morning.
Melatonin. Each time I take melatonin, I say this isn’t going to work. The next thing I know I am waking up and it’s morning.
Get off the grid. Break the habit of surfing through Facebook and Twitter just before going to sleep; shut down all electronics two hours before bedtime.
What are your secrets for a good night’s rest? We invite you to share your ideas in the comment box below.
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