According to the Sleep Health Foundation, sleep is equally important to our health and fitness and nutrition. But if you have difficulty with insomnia, you are not alone – the Sleep Health Foundation used 1512 people [male and female, different ages, from different parts of Australia] in 2010 and found that 20% of respondents often experience difficulty sleeping. Now, 35% reported that they often wake up at night.

Sleep problems are common, but there are things that can help you. These are three:

1] Challenge the myth about sleep.

Your view of sleep can help you or prevent you from getting a good night's sleep. It's important to rethink some unhelpful beliefs because it can change the quality of your sleep. We list some of the more common myths and truths below:

Myth 1 – "I need 8 hours of sleep per night"

Eight hours is only average. Some people can run with fewer features and some need more.

Myth 2 – "Napping is not a good idea"

Naps are actually very beneficial as long as they are short [usually less than 20-30 minutes] and not too close to normal sleep time.

Myth 3 – "A good sleep is where I sleep all night"

In fact, we usually have a sleep cycle of about 90 minutes, and we can sleep up to 4 stages in each cycle, from mild sleep [even a brief awakening we may not remember] to deep sleep.

Myth 4 – "Successful people don't need too much sleep"

You may have heard that celebrities like Leonardo Da Vinci or Winston Churchill don't need much sleep. In fact, it's not that simple. Some people naturally need less sleep. In addition, some famous people take up some people, while others sleep for a long time when the work pace is slow.

Myth 5 – "The dark ring under my eyes is caused by insufficient sleep"

Dark rings can often be caused by food allergies or other factors.

Myth 6 – "Alcohol helps me sleep"

Taking alcohol early enough at night may help sleep, but later it can actually reduce the likelihood that a person will enter a deeper, more restorative sleep stage because the body is being treated.

2] Improve your "sleep hygiene".

Engaging in sleep-related health habits can improve the quality and length of sleep. Most of these habits are common sense, but it's helpful to look at them in the following list:

• Avoid using stimulants such as nicotine and caffeine near bedtime.

• Check if the sleep conditions are as good as possible. For example, make sure you are not too hot or too cold, your mattress and pillow are comfortable, the noise is minimized, and the light is minimized.

• Try to expose some [sun protection!] to the sun during waking hours. This helps regulate melatonin levels in the body – an important hormone associated with the sleep cycle.

• Avoid heavy or thick foods before going to bed as they can cause heartburn and disturb sleep.

• Try not to use electronic devices with a screen on your bed. Using the device may increase your mood and/or level of cognition and increase activation due to increased light. In addition, you may be weakening the connection of the mind to "sleeping = sleeping."

• If you are less than 6-8 hours before the normal sleep time, try to avoid taking a nap.

• Try to do night activities on a regular basis.

• If you are having trouble sleeping, try not to watch the clock.

• If you are not sleeping within 20 minutes of sleeping, go to another room with minimal stimulation until you want to fall asleep again.

3] Visiting health professionals

Sleep disorders can be related to a range of psychological, physical or medical problems. People are increasingly aware that sleep disorders are themselves problems – in fact, DSM-V identified 10 sleep-wake disorders, such as insomnia, respiratory-related sleep disorders, and circadian sleep-wake disorders. If you are concerned about your sleep problems, it is a good idea to talk to your family doctor or psychologist to help you accurately assess your difficulties and provide you with evidence-based treatment options.

Sleepless night? Better tips for defeating insomnia and sleep was originally published on Spring