Looking for a Better Night's Sleep? Simple DIY Insomnia Remedies

You’ve gone to bed but you just can’t get to sleep; you’re lying there all stressed and it’s making you feel more and more tense knowing that you have to get up in the morning and face another day at work in a job you’d much rather not be doing or perhaps have to get to an early morning appointment where you need to be fresh and feeling creative. Or maybe like me, you get to sleep alright but then wake up in the middle of the night and stress about all those things that in the light of day are not quite so worrisome but which at 3 or 4 am make it really hard to get back to sleep.

The perception of a good night’s sleep differs widely from person to person. While the average night’s sleep for an adult is around seven or eight hours, some people need only four, while others like up to 10 hours or more. What seems like insomnia to one person might be considered a good sleep by another; it’s all relative.

Insomnia takes many different forms. It can be out-and-out difficulty falling asleep, recurrent waking throughout the night, or waking up earlier than you’d like in the morning. It is not unusual for just about everyone to have difficulty sleeping every now and then, particularly during times of stress, when you’re traveling and your routine gets disturbed, or if your surroundings are too hot, cold, noisy or bright. These types of short-term insomnia are unquestionably really annoying, and can affect the way you function the next day, but they are often easily remedied, particularly by paying attention to what we do and do not consume.

In an ideal world we’d all nip off to a spa resort for a quick tune up and energy boost, but not all of us can afford the time, even if we had the finance, to get away for several days and throw ourselves into a full on relaxation program. In a spa you’d have the luxury of eating healthy, nutritious foods and get plenty of peace and quiet as well as time to indulge in relaxing pursuits like meditation and yoga while focusing on yourself and your needs. But what could you do at home if you’d like to re-train yourself to enjoy a better night’s sleep? What would be some of the most indispensable, easy and inexpensive at-home tricks?

Well first of all, before you start any kind of de-stress program (and let’s face it, it’s the stress which is more than likely stopping you from getting a good night’s sleep) you must set habitual sleep schedules and cut out the caffeine and the junk foods from your diet as well as getting some form of regular exercise. Regular exercise, aside from its many other wonderful health benefits, usually makes it easier to fall asleep and sleep better. You don’t have to exercise like a gym junkie though to feel the benefits-- as little as twenty to thirty minutes of regular exercise helps. And you don’t even need to do all 30 minutes in one session: break it up into five minutes here, ten minutes there, unless you’re specifically exercising to lose weight as well.

A brisk walk, a bicycle ride or a run is precious time well spent. But be certain to schedule your exercise in the morning or early afternoon because exercising too late in the day actually stimulates your body, raising its temperature, and that’s the opposite of what you want nearer bedtime. A cooler body temperature is linked to better sleep but light exercise such as yoga or simple stretching some time before bed shouldn’t trouble your sleep; on the contrary it should help to quieten your mind.

I hope it’s obvious, but you ought to avoid caffeinated drinks and foods (coffee, tea, many soft drinks, and chocolate) several hours before going to bed. Caffeine is a natural chemical that activates the central nervous system, which means that it revs up nerves and thought processes. For people who are sensitive to caffeine, the excess stimulation is unpleasant, making them feel jittery and edgy. If you drink caffeinated drinks too close to bedtime, the chances are they will keep you awake. Of course, what “too close” means is totally unique for each individual. Sensitive people should stop drinking caffeine at least eight hours before bedtime (that means by 3pm, if you hit the sack at 11pm). Ideally curb them from your diet altogether if you are prone to sleeplessness, stress or depression.

Many people today eat foods that are not only lacking in nourishment, but are in fact detrimental to their digestive systems, period. And since it is mainly at night that your digestion does its work, there are some specific foods which sleep sensitive people should avoid altogether before going to bed. Your metabolism drops substantially when you sleep, so any food which is hard to digest is going to sit in your bowel all night long. Combating insomnia through nutrition is about eating the right combination of foods in the evening, and perhaps even more importantly, knowing which foods to avoid.

People who don't get enough sleep tend to overeat by adding extra sugary and carbohydrate-rich snacks to their diets but these can certainly contribute to making it harder to get to sleep, so try to avoid them before bed time… in fact it will help your stress levels if you limit them in your diet altogether! The trick is to firstly work out what to leave out of your body that prevents you sleeping well, and subsequently to make sure you’re very careful about what you put into your body in the way of fuel…if you ran your sports car on low grade fuel, it wouldn’t give you a very high performance, would it now? The same is even more accurate of our bodies.

Protein rich meals are a no-no, as are heavy or over spicy foods. Also avoid any foods you know that may cause heartburn, making it difficult for you to sleep at night. You should also stay away from drinking too much alcohol because although alcohol may make you sleepy, over-consumption of your favorite alcoholic drink can contribute to a very restless and unpleasant night. Although many people use alcohol to help them relax before bed, the effects usually wear off in a little while; hence they wake up in the middle of the night. Over time, alcohol-induced sleep becomes less relaxing, so drowsiness and lethargy become their permanent reality.

People who eat large amounts of fat may also have more difficulty sleeping. You need to ensure you get enough Omega-3 fatty acids each day though, because eicosapentaenoic acid has a role in sleep induction in your brain. I have just found out to my personal dismay however that fish these days really does contain drastic amounts of mercury, particularly the ones supposed to be rich in Omega-3’s like tuna and salmon, so perhaps you might like to consider taking fish oil capsules instead which you can buy in any good health food store. When you have too much mercury in your system, this can also be a contributing factor in upset sleep patterns. Your doctor can easily get that checked out with a blood test if your symptoms persist.

If your interrupted or lack of sleep is a result of stress, we’d recommend you avoid starches and carbohydrates from your diet as a general rule of thumb because they tend to make you sluggish and stress out your digestive system, but there is a time and a place for everything, and at bedtime, as an aid to getting to sleep they can occasionally be helpful as long as you don’t overdo it!

It’s OK to make the most of a light bedtime snack such as a small bowl of whole grain cereal with non-fat milk. Carbohydrates make it easier to fall asleep while dairy products contain tryptophan, which encourages sleep. Tryptophan is one of the ingredients necessary for the body to make serotonin, the neurotransmitter best known for making you sleepy and creating feelings of calm and appears to be the most vital component in foods that help you sleep.

Other foods that contain tryptophan are bananas, oats and honey as well as flaxseeds, almonds and warm milk so you could have quite a little feast happening an hour or so before bed instead of eating your cereal for breakfast. Or make yourself a sandwich of whole meal bread with a slice or two of turkey, washed down with a cup of chamomile tea which also has renowned sleep-inducing properties. It may not sound as appealing as a Big Mac with fries and a can of Coke, but you will get a better night’s sleep!

Insomnia is a symptom, not a disease. It means having trouble with how much or how well you sleep and is an utterly individual experience. Long-term chronic insomnia needs professional support from a doctor /sleep disorder clinic but in the meantime if your problem is temporary, these few ideas should give you some relief.

This hub is brought to you by Sandhan, co-owner and founder of Soul Search Publishing, a personal development and self help publishing company whose goal is to help customers realize personal happiness and success. Sandhan has also co-authored The Anti Stress Book with her business partner Maxim Haim, as well as being responsible for numerous blogs, Twitter accounts, websites and online articles. But her biggest joy is when she knows she’s had a positive impact and made a difference in someone’s life!