When you visit a doctor and complain that you have problems sleeping, that medical professional may recommend an insomnia treatment like a prescription medication that helps you fall asleep faster. Those medications often come with side effects that can leave you feeling groggy the next day, and some find that they grow dependent on those medications and cannot sleep without taking a pill first. While a glass of warm milk may not help you sleep, there are some effective non-medical remedies that can help you sleep better.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
The National Sleep Foundation recommends a type of therapy called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Also known as CBT, this is a type of therapy that helps you change your life and create connections between certain activities. Your therapist might help you create a set schedule that determines when you go to sleep every night and when you wake up. The therapist will also teach you how to use the power of positive thinking. The National Sleep Foundation points out that one study found that these therapy sessions could help insomnia suffers sleep better after just six weeks.
Melatonin
Melatonin is a natural sleep aid that you can use to combat your insomnia. You can pick up a bottle from most grocery stores and big box retailers, but you’ll also find the sleep aid available online and in natural or health food stores. Taking just one pill 30 minutes before going to bed will help relax the receptors in your brain and help you fall asleep faster. The downside is that some users experience nightmares after they stop taking melatonin and then start again.
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Acupuncture
One natural insomnia treatment that might work well for you is acupuncture. Acupuncture is a type of ancient healing practice that relies on thin and sharp needles that a trained professional inserts into different places on your body. The offices have a calming and soothing look and feel that helps you feel more comfortable while undergoing the procedure. Many people feel so relaxed that they do not even notice or feel the needles. The idea is that acupuncture will remove the blocks in your brain that make it hard for you to sleep.
Get More Exercise
A common reason many have a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep is because of the stress they feel during the day. If you constantly toss and turn as thoughts of work meetings and appointments race through your mind, you need more exercise. Doing just 30 minutes of exercise a few times a week can help you finally get the sleep that you need. High-intensity exercise is usually best, but relaxing exercises like yoga can also help. Those movements let you work out your frustrations and also exhaust your body, which makes sleeping easier.
Create a Restful Environment
Creating a more restful environment is another way in which you can beat insomnia. Make your bedroom a room that you use only for sleeping and relaxing. When you watch television, read, do work or even eat in bed, your brain begins viewing that space as a room designed for activity instead of rest. Removing the television and only using the room when it’s time for bed can help change that connection. You may want to install blackout curtains on your windows and use a white noise machine too.
Insomnia can last for a few days or months at a time. When you have a hard time falling asleep or sleeping all night, you wake feeling groggy, irritated and cranky, which can affect your home and work lives. A non-medical insomnia treatment like regular exercise or acupuncture can help you beat your insomnia.
