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.