Is some wizardry keeping you awake at night? Can some magic be used to help you fall asleep? Is there a cure-all pill, potion, or lotion that will help me to enjoy sweet dreams? No insomnia trick works for everyone but there are tips suited for many different people.

When your insomnia is getting the best of you, try a cup of warm milk. Although many people think this is just an old wives tale, there’s really some science behind it. Warm milk actually soothes your nervous system, making sleep come more easily. Just pop a mug in the microwave for a minute or so and sleep should soon follow.

It’s tough to sleep when you’re not tired. If your job keeps you in one place for long periods of time, do what you can to break frequently and move around during the day. Increasing the amount of exercise you get will also help.

What’s up with your bed? Are your sheets comfy? Do your pillows support your head properly? Do you have a comfortable mattress, or is it saggy and old? Then you have to be able to invest in a new mattress or bedding. This will help you relax and pass out.

Write down the next day’s schedule and important tasks. Often people will find themselves lying in bed, waiting for sleep, while their brain runs through the next day’s agenda. Worries about what needs to be done can keep sleep at bay. Make a good list of things that are important, and you can save yourself the troubles of constantly preparing.

Try not to eat spicy foods for dinner or you may end up in discomfort at bedtime. Spicy foods can cause heartburn, and this can cause you to have problems falling or staying asleep. Keep the spice to lunch and you may find that you can sleep better at night.

Human beings are evolved to see light as a signal to be awake. Try to keep light from interfering with your sleep, even small sources of light. Point your digital clock away from your eyes, as well as your cell phone or other small devices. These can hit your eyelids while you sleep, waking you up instinctually.

Don’t get too worked up about having insomnia. When you find yourself lying in bed again unable to sleep, it’s easy to start getting frustrated and impatient. However, that behavior is not going to help usher in sleep. Try to realize that for many, insomnia can be fixed to some degree.

If you are struggling to relax at bedtime, take a class in a relaxation technique. For example, join a yoga class and learn how to do each move correctly. You can also take a deep breathing class to learn the perfect method for calming your nerves when the time comes to sleep.

Research shows that getting plenty of natural light during the day helps you sleep better at night. Instead of staying in the office at lunch, eat outside. Don’t wear sunglasses. Keep the windows open in your office, letting the light hit your face. You can even buy a light box if you live in a place that gets little light in the winter.

Create a bedtime routine and stick with it. Read a book, meditate or just enjoy a nightly snack. The more you work to train your body that it is bedtime, the easier it will adjust when it is time for sleep. It will take some time, but if you stick with it, it will work.

When you can’t sleep, get up. If you stay in bed, tossing and turning, your body will believe that it can do this night after night without any repercussions. Instead, give yourself 30 minutes to fall asleep and, if it doesn’t work, then get up. Go back to bed in an hour and try again.

To sleep well, you must sleep comfortably. Invest in a good set of sheets, a high quality mattress and a reputable pillow. If your body can become completely comfortable while being supported totally, you will find that nothing is nagging at you, like a too-tight waistband on your pajama bottoms.

Warm milk is known to help relax you before bedtime. To warm the milk, place 8 ounces of milk in a small saucepan. Turn your stove on a medium low setting and slowly heat the milk up to 100 degrees. Avoid allowing the milk to boil because it may curdle.

If you’re a smoker, avoid smoking too close to your bed time. Tobacco is a stimulant for your body, so those few puffs can cause havoc with your sleep schedule. This can lead to full blown insomnia if you aren’t careful. Give yourself at least 2 hours after your last cigarette before you go to bed.

While something that works for one person may not help another, but you can at least give it a try. However, something should be effective, so it is important to keep trying. Sleep is something you can get if you are trying hard to get it!

Learn How To Reduce Insomnia By Using These Tips was originally published on Spring