Top 10 Sleeping Tips for the Insomniac

With sleep so elusive for so many of us, I thought I'd compile a list of the top 10 sleeping tips that have worked for me throughout the years. All of these might be attempted if you'd first like to think beyond using prescription sleep aids.

While for many of us sleep aids appear to be the easy answer (in my case, using Ambien turned out to be the only answer), making an effort to consider what else we can do to ease the onset of sleep is an important tactic to assume.

For many, these tips will seem like common sense, but it's amazing how, if you're not focusing on exactly what you need to do to improve your sleep, that you might be making the following mistakes without giving them a second thought. So, I offer them below, just as a gentle reminder that I hope will work for you.

Of course, I provide this information not as medical advice, but as personal experience. Always check with your doctor first.

I'd very much welcome your own tips to share with the community. Please post them in the comment section. Thanks!

1. Try to avoid napping during the day. This is critical. As tired as you may be, whether at the office (yes, some of us have napped there--discretely!) or at home, do not, under an circumstances, take a nap during the day.

2. Make an effort to avoid stimulants. This also is a no-brainer, but how many cans of soda or cups of coffee do you have during the day? More than you thought? It was more than I originally thought, too. As for alcohol, you do know that it can interrupt sleep, right? It's true--in spite of an initial mild sedative effect, it can and it does toy with sleep. As for nicotine, it's also a stimulant and it should be avoided. Sigh....

3. Create a comfortable sleeping environment. Room temperature is important--keep it cool. Like a bit of sound while you sleep? Consider some white noise, such as a fan. As for a mattress and great pillows and sheets, here's where you splurge. Get the good stuff, and the rest, hopefully, will follow.

4. Take a long walk after dinner. This always has worked for me. After dinner, go for a spirited walk with a friend or a mate, and lose some of the excess energy you're holding. Then, move to step 5.

5. Relax. Can we even do that anymore? It's becoming increasingly difficult. But if you can find even an hour for yourself to sit and meditate before turning in for the night, resting your mind will go a long way toward resting your body.

6. Read. Yes, read. Read what interests you--or, better yet, read what doesn't interest you! There's nothing like a good, long, dull book or article to lower the lids.

7. Avoid television. Well, at least until an hour before you plan hit the sack. Remember, we're attempting to relax our minds here. Watching an episode of "Lost," for instance, or getting caught up in a good suspense thriller hardly is going to do that for you.

8. Go to sleep when you're tired. Don't feel pressured to sleep. Go to bed when you're tired. Even a few hours of good, restful sleep beats 8 hours of struggling to get to sleep.

9. Ritualize! Make your shutting-down-for-the-day time something that's expected, part of your routine. Getting into a good sleeping habit is key to getting good sleep.

10. Don't try to sleep if you can't sleep. Just forget it for a while. Try not to sweat it (I know this is easier said than done). Maybe some music would help--the easy-listening kind. Maybe a bit of meditation might also help (it always has here). Think of your bed as a place to sleep, not a place for frustration because you can't sleep, and the anxieties that surround it will gradually start to fade.