Is insomnia affecting your day-to-day life? Do you spend your days like a zombie without drive or direction? Do you toss in bed all night wishing you could fall asleep? Now is the time to stop suffering and applying the advice that follows.

Go see your doctor to make sure your insomnia is not caused by a medical problem. Some conditions, like restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea and migraines can cause insomnia. You will get a better sleep if you treat these conditions.

If you have insomnia, you should see a doctor to try to rule out major medical conditions that may be causing it. Migraines, clogged breathing passages, and restless leg syndrome can negatively impact your sleep. You will get a better sleep if you treat these conditions.

When you’re insomnia is keeping you up, see if you can’t convince your spouse or significant other to give you a short massage. Massages can help relax you and make you feel sleepy. Don’t think about it too much; just get into it and get to sleep.

Most people like to wait until late for bed on holidays and weekends. This erratic sleep schedule sometimes leads to insomnia. Set an alarm to make yourself awaken the same time every day. A habit will occur when you do this for several weeks, and a sleep routine is the result.

When your insomnia is making you stay awake, see if you can get your significant other to massage you. Massage is very relaxing and can help you transition to sleep. Let your mind be free while getting the massage so that your body can relax.

If you have insomnia, try exercising more during your day. Exercise will regulate hormones which will make it easier to sleep. Getting more exercise during the day will increase your hormone levels and promote sleep.

Try exercising and tiring yourself out physically. Insomnia effects people in sedentary lines of work more often. Making your body tired can help you get your needed rest. Work for a couple miles after returning from work.

A rigid sleep schedule is beneficial for many insomniacs. Your body has an internal clock which will cause you to be sleepy at pretty much the same time every night. Listen to that clock, and soon insomnia will be left in the dust.

Parents know that a regular bedtime routine helps children fall asleep much faster. You may find that the same strategy can help you overcome insomnia, even as an adult. Try a warm bath, perform breathing exercises or listen to relaxing music. Get satisfying sleep by practicing these bedtime rituals every night.

Practice deep breathing when trying to sleep. This can relax your whole body. This will aid in the sleep process. Breathe in and out very slowly over and over again. Inhale through your nose and use your mouth to exhale. It may only take a matter of minutes before you feel it is time for some sleep.

Check your clocks if you have insomnia. Clocks can distract you too much if you are always looking at them while trying to sleep. Don’t have bright clocks near your bed or clocks that tick.

Many foods contain tryptophan, which induces sleep naturally. Eating these foods for dinner can help you fall asleep sooner. For example, turkey, milk and eggs have tryptophan. Be sure to drink warm milk because it is relaxing; whereas, cold milk is not.

Warm milk helps many sleep, but there are people that cannot drink milk or do not like it. You might even want to drink a cup of tea. Herbal tea has soothing natural ingredients. Look through your local health food store to find a special sleep blend.

Be aware of your bedroom temperature. You can easily become uncomfortable in a room that’s too hot or too stuffy. This can cause you to have more trouble sleeping. Your thermostat should be around 65F for good sleeping. And layer blankets so that you can remove them to get just the right comfort zone.

It is much more difficult to sleep if you simply are not tired. If you are tied to a chair during the day, make sure you get up and move about as often as possible. Extra physical activity like exercise can help boost your sleepiness near bedtime, as well.

Smoking is not only bad for your health, but bad for sleep, too. Smoking is a stimulant. There are a multitude of reasons why you really should stop smoking. Sleeping better and dozing off quicker is an added benefit.

A firm mattress could be of assistance when insomnia is striking regularly. A mattress that is too soft will not provide enough support. This can cause your body stress and worsen your insomnia. You can rid yourself of many problems when you buy a firm mattress.

One key to getting a full night’s sleep each night is setting a schedule. By going to bed each night at a specific time and awakening each day at a specific time, your body will soon adjust to this schedule. Limiting your bedtime hours to eight will also help.

If you have problems going to sleep, you may need to adjust your wake-up time in the morning. Try getting up around 30 minutes before you normally do and see if that helps you to get better sleep at night. Once your body becomes familiar with the bedtime hour, it may be easier to wake up in the morning when you want to.

If you just can’t sleep, prescriptions may help. Visit your physician and talk about what is the appropriate sleep aid for you.

Cognitive Therapy

If nothing is working, it may be time to look into cognitive therapy. This helps you figure out what beliefs you have which are keeping you from sleeping. Cognitive therapy also gives patients information so that they know exactly what they should be doing for their sleep routine.

Keep a sleep diary. Monitor the activities you are doing before sleeping. You may notice a pattern and find things that are preventing you from sleeping early. It will be much easier to take action against your insomnia when you know what’s causing it.

Write down what worries you. Constantly thinking about what you have to do is stressful and can keep you from falling asleep. One way to get these things solved is to write things down that bother you and how you can take care of them. Your stress will be less if you have a plan in place, and this will help you to sleep.

Do you get heartburn when you lay down? If so, speak with your doctor. There could be several reasons for this happening and it is wise to get to the bottom of it. You need some medical advice if that is the case.

Magnesium helps lots of folks get better sleep. Magnesium causes healthy sleep by affecting your neurotransmitters. Magnesium rich foods are black beans, leafy green vegetables and halibut. Magnesium is also helpful in other ways, too; for example, it can make muscle cramps less intense.

Do not take daytime naps if you are having issues with insomnia. Naps sometimes seem necessary, but they will keep you up at night. Keep your eyes open in the daytime so you can sleep at night.

If stress is why you’re dealing with insomnia, think about taking kava. It is shown to help you relax and sleep more easily. Speak to your doctor about it first, though, as there are some side effects that need to be considered.

If you want to experiment with an OTC sleep remedy, consult your doctor about the safety of doing so. This is really important if you think using the drug could be a long term thing. It can be safe here and there, but it may negatively affect your body long-term.

As you rest, think of a peaceful and calm scene. It might be ocean waves, summer breezes or a gentle snowfall. Picture the smallest of details, from how the ocean smells to the intricate details of a single snowflake.

Do not accept insomnia as an omnipresent force in your life! Rather, the time is now to fight back by applying the ideas presented here. Make the changes in your life to help you sleep better every day.

Some folks only sleep well when the environment promotes proper breathing. Essential oils in a diffuser might be beneficial. An air cleaner can remove impurities and help you breathe easy while you sleep.