Insomnia is a frightful term which strikes fear in the hearts of anyone who has faced it in the past. Those who are blessed with passing out as soon as their head hits the pillow often have no idea how lucky they are. For the rest of us, the suggestions below can be lifesavers.

Create a routine. Your body is a creature of habit. It likes routines. So if you can create a daily sleeping routine and stick with it, you may find that insomnia becomes a thing of the past. But be careful, breaking out of the routine can trigger insomnia if you aren’t careful.

Have a window open while you sleep. Fresh air is one of the best cures for insomnia. In addition, a cool room with a temperature of around 65 degrees is the most conducive for a good night’s sleep. If that feels cold to you, simply add a few more blankets to your bed to ensure that you are comfortable.

If you take naps in order to catch up on missed sleep, you may in fact be harming your chances of getting proper sleep at night. Your mind associates darkness as well as a consistent bedtime with sleep. When you start taking naps, it can start to mess with your sleep patterns and your mind.

Remember that caffeine isn’t only found in coffee! Tea, pop and even chocolate all contain caffeine, as do energy drinks. You want to limit all the caffeine in your diet after 12pm so that you are able to fall asleep at night without the stimulating effects of this ingredient.

Massage can be a great technique for conquering insomnia. Your muscles will relax and your body will calm. You and your spouse can alternate massages every night. You don’t need to get full body massages, often a simple foot rub is all you need.

If you’re having trouble with insomnia, you may be causing it because of the environment you’re sleeping in. Your room must be cool, dark and quiet. Noise, heat and light could be interfering with the ability to sleep. If outside noise is bothering you, then try drowning out the noise with something like a fan. The fan can also cool you. A mask or black-out curtains can help block light as well.

If you are waking up because your legs are uncomfortable, talk to your doctor about restless leg syndrome. There are a myriad of causes for this disorder, but sadly, there is no cure. There are some strategies which can help, such as exercise, calcium/magnesium supplements and even smoking marijuana, and your doctor can advise you on what to try.

Your bed can become your friend when it comes to sleep if you make it exclusive to your sleeping time. Watching television throughout the day, getting on the laptop, napping and other activities should be kept out of your bed. Your bed needs to only be used for sleeping only!

While walking can help you to relax, don’t do vigorous activities before sleep. When you’re pumped up from a workout, there is a lot of adrenaline flowing. Adrenalin helps deliver energy to the body and should be avoided within 3 hours of bedtime.

Minimize your intake of caffeine if you are having difficulty sleeping or are struggling with insomnia. Caffeine can remain in your body and disrupt your sleep patterns for up to a day. Too much caffeine not only makes it harder to go to sleep, but can make you wake up more frequently at night.

Make sure that you are getting plenty of regular exercise to help reduce or eliminate your insomnia. Studies have shown that people who get plenty of exercise enjoy higher quality sleep. However, you should not exercise in the evening before bed. The exercise can stimulate you and make it harder to fall asleep.

Sugar gives you a quick boost of energy when you eat it, but it will leave you crashing in short order. While this may make you feel drowsy, it actually stops you from being able to fall asleep at night. If you must have sugar, have a healthier option, such as honey.

Eating a bedtime snack can help you feel sedated. Try a piece of whole grain toast with some honey along with a glass of warm milk. This will fill you up, help you become drowsy and leave you ready to hit the sack. Enjoy it 2 hours before bed for the best results.

When you are drowning, someone will throw you a rope to pull you out. When you are drowning in the side effects of insomnia, you become the one who has to save yourself. Reading this article was a brave first step towards relief, and you should be proud of yourself for taking the time to learn.

Insomnia Help Is Here, Get The Rest You Need With These Top Tips was originally published on Spring