Millions of Americans suffer from insomnia. Whether it is brought on by stress, restless leg syndrome (RLS), or simply through genetics (like me), insomnia can be a serious problem. Without a good night of sleep, the world can be fuzzy, difficult, and simply not a fun place to be the next day. As someone who has struggled with this for as long as I can remember, I have tried literally hundreds of things to help me sleep from prescription medication to natural supplements and everything in between. But here are a few things that are actually working for me and allowing me to get a good night of sleep.
Take a hot shower before bed
I tried this a few years ago and it really started to help me get over my insomnia. The hot shower simply relaxes me and at least allows my body to be tired and helps my mind to follow. This is especially helpful when I am struggling with RLS, which I do from time to time. Plus, I have always found it easier to sleep when I am fresh and clean instead of grimy from the day. So even though this is not friendly to the water or gas bill, I would suggest giving it a try for a week and see how it works for you.Force yourself to get up an hour earlier
This is a method I am trying right now with great success. I figured that if I am lying in bed for 1 ½ hours every night before I fall asleep, then maybe I should trying getting up that much earlier every morning. So I started about 2 weeks ago and it has become a love/hate thing for me. I hate getting up that early in the morning as I have never been a morning person. But once I am up I love it because it allows me to get a lot more done. Plus, when I go to sleep, I am usually falling asleep within 15-20 minutes instead of the 75-90 minutes I was used to.Get on some kind of a routine
This one has been difficult for me as I have never been a creature of habit. But now as my life is, I can be on a routine more than ever before. And as this has come about, I have found my insomnia and RLS bother me much less. I figure because as my body gets in a more natural cycle and gets used to getting up and going to bed at the same time each night as well as a routine of activity during the day, it helps to regulate my sleep as well. So this one may take some effort, but hopefully if you try it you will also see a difference in your insomnia and RLS also.
So to all my fellow insomniacs out there, I feel your pain. But if you are looking for some easy remedies, you may want to try these things that have really helped me.
