50 Ways To Beat Insomnia

About a third of us have sleep difficulties occasionally, but for some people insomnia can be

a chronic problem which lasts for months or even years. If you need a bit of help getting off at night, follow some of these tips to help you get a better nights sleep.

1. Instead of counting sheep, count peacocks, giraffes, or emus!

2. Go to bed at the same time every night, and get up at the
same time every morning.

3. Sleep on a good, firm mattress.

4. Lie on your back and gently rub your stomach in a circular
motion. Gradually let the circles get bigger and bigger. 5.
Avoid alcohol, caffeine and tobacco.

6. Start at one, two, or five hundred, and count backwards down
to one.

7. Try to recall a poem that you used to know off by heart when
you were at school.

8. Think of a boy and girl's name starting with each letter of

the alphabet. For example; Albert and Alice, Bryan and Betty, or
Carl and Camilla. See how far you can go.

9. Listen to a recording of crashing waves, dolphin sounds,
heartbeats, raindrops, or White Noise.

10. Don't have tea, chocolate or cola in the evening.

11. Imagine walking through a lush valley. Hear the birdsong,
smell the trees and visualise the beauty of the countryside.

12. Sleep in a well ventilated room.

13. Don't have the temperature of your room too hot, or too
cold.

14. Sleep on your back, as this enables your internal organs to
rest.

15. Do not fall to sleep on your front, as this results in
shallow breathing and causes pressure on your internal organs.

16. Drink warm milk ten to twenty minutes before retiring.

17. Stretch your body. Point your toes, arch your back and
stretch your arms above your head, then relax completely.

18. Try to recite the National Anthem in your head.

19. Make a long list of words in your head by changing just one
letter at a time, for example; part, past, post, most, mast,
etc.

20. Have a drink of herbal tea before retiring to bed. Some
health food stores sell blends which are designed to aid restful
sleep.

21. Fifteen minutes of exercise a day will supply your body with
the activity and oxygen it needs to relax at bedtime.

22. Make a list of everything that is bothering you and
therefore keeping you awake. Imagine yourself writing the list
onto a piece of paper and then screwing it up and throwing it
away.

23. Try to settle yourself by repeating soothing words to
yourself, such as calm, peaceful, relaxing.

24. Imagine you are sewing the hem of an extremely wide curtain.
Use tiny stitches and visualise in detail every stitch you make.

25. Try to get your partner to give you a relaxing massage just
before bed, or while you are both in bed.

26. Make love.

27. If your partner is in bed with you, listen to his breath and
try to synchronise your breathing with his.

28. Go back to a special time and place in your mind. Relive the
sights, smells and feelings you felt at the time.

29. Avoid naps during the daytime.

30. Take a warm soothing bubble bath, or use bath salts or
aromatherapy oils in the water to help you relax before bed.

31. Try to keep your bedroom as dark as possible by hanging
thick lined curtains if possible.

32. Imagine you are on the beach. Feel the hot sun on your body,
smell the salt water and feel the warm, granular sand under your
feet and between your toes.

33. Avoid illuminated bedside clocks. A lit clock face can be
extremely disturbing if you have a hard time getting to sleep.

34. Practice slow, deep breathing for five minutes.

35. Sleep with your head facing north. Sounds bizarre? Try it
and see if it makes a difference for you.

36. Imagine you are decorating your dream house. What colour
scheme would you use? What style of furnishings and decoration
would you prefer? See each colour and pattern in detail.

37. Keep your bed a place for sleep. Don't read, watch
television, work, or do crossword puzzles in bed. Let your body
and mind associate bed with sleep.

38. Think of as many famous people as you can with double
initials, for example; Anthony Andrews, Tina Turner, Bobby
Brown.

39. If you really can't sleep, get up. Don't lie awake for more
than thirty minutes. Read a book, have a drink, and when you
feel tired again, go back to bed.

40. Lie on your back and try to relax. Wiggle your toes up and
down, both feet at the same time, 20. This should relax your
whole body.

41. Listen to soft and soothing music. Classical or folk music
is particularly good for dropping off to.

42. Imagine it's morning and time to get up. The alarm has
already gone off, and you are in that sleepy period when you
just want to drop back off to sleep for a few more minutes. It's
surprising how sleepy you will start to feel.

43. Think back on everything you did throughout the day, from
getting up, having breakfast, going to work, right through to
getting ready for bed and lying where you are now.

44. Try to remember what you were doing this time last year.

45. An hour before you go to bed, light an oil burner with some
lavender oil in.

46. Mentally visit the town you were born in. Think back to how
the streets looked, and imagine where you used to play, or the
places you used to visit.

47. Repeat to yourself 'I am getting sleepy, I am growing tired,
I am falling to sleep.'

48. If you are a fan of soap operas, replay some of the scenes
in your mind, with yourself as one of the characters.

49. Stare with your eyes closed at the insides of your eyelids.

50. Build a two letter word into the biggest word you can make.
For example; on, one, lone, alone.

Sweet Dreams!

About the author:
Gail Miller is a UK artist and writer. View her vibrant, contemporary artwork at her
website, Gails Art Gallery http://home.freeuk.net/gails-gallery