Weird Ways to Beat Insomnia

Almost half of adults experience insomnia at some time, with around 10% of people experiencing chronic insomnia at some point in their lives. Insomnia causes poor sleep, and includes problems with: getting to sleep, getting back to sleep after waking in the night, and waking too early.

Does Insomnia Matter?

It does.

When we don't get enough sleep, it leads to poor health. Insomniacs have been found to be at greater risk of anxiety and depression, gastrointestinal problems, obesity, cancer, and even heart disease.

A good night's sleep is important to keep us in good health. Insomnia can lead to symptoms such as forgetfulness, lack of energy, lack of concentration, and a higher risk of accidents due to exhaustion.

Become an early riser

It's time to reset your body-clock. Humans are designed to be awake in daylight and sleep when it's dark. So, if you're a bit of a stop-in-bed, it's time to become an early-riser. Set your alarm fifteen minutes earlier every day until you're rising at six, and then reward yourself with something fun when you're up as an incentive to not hit that "Snooze" button and sink back beneath the warm sheets.

Exercise early in the day

A 2010 study found that consistent daily exercise helps chronic insomniacs to get some sleep. A further 2011 study by Appalachian State University compared sleep quality in people who exercised at 7 a.m., 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. They found that those who exercised at 7 a.m. had 75% more restorative sleep than other groups.

READ Insomnia, Stress and Immune System

Work in the Light

Sunlight is essential. It tells your brain to release serotonin (that happy healthy neurotransmitter that helps regulate your body clock). It tells your hypothalamus that it's time to wake up. When you're exposed to natural light in the day, it's easier for your brain to get the message that darkness equals bedtime.

To get the benefit of healthy sunshine, put your desk by a window, and take a walk in the sunshine.

Have Your Last Coffee Before 2 p.m.

Caffeine is a stimulant. You know that, of course. But did you know that caffeine can stay in your system for eight hours? A 2005 National Sleep Foundation poll found that those who consume four caffeinated drinks per day were more likely to experience insomnia than those who experience insomnia than those who drank no or one caffeinated drinks per day.

Stick to 250mg of caffeine per day, and then switch to decaf.

Don't Smoke Close to Bed (Or Quit)

Nicotine is a stimulant. Analysis of 52 studies by Jaehne and colleagues (2009) found that consumption of nicotine led to poor quality sleep, more sleep disturbances, and breathing disturbances that further damage sleep quality. These problems are worse early in the night, when nicotine levels are highest.

To combat these problems, stop smoking several hours before bed, or see a doctor about smoking cessation.

READ Don't Ruin Your Sleep - Stop Staring At A Screen Before Bedtime

Have a Screen Curfew

Screens cause multiple disruptions to our sleep:

• Being constantly "on" leads to the increased production of cortisol, which makes us more alert and increases stress. Being stressed makes it harder to fall asleep.
• Looking for things on the web, receiving messages and feeling loved triggers our dopamine and opioid centres. We feel loved, we feel wanted, we feel involved. The dopamine wakes us up. We feel we could go on forever. This is not conducive to good sleep.
• The blue lights interfere with the production of restorative melatonin. A 2014 study at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston found that patients who read on iPads at night take longer to fall asleep than those who read with traditional books.

To combat these problems, banish all screens (laptop, TV, iPad and phone) from your room at least a full ninety minutes before bed.

5 More Tips to Beat Insomnia

Relax Before Bed

Before you go to bed, get into the habit of spending 30 to 60 minutes doing soothing activities. By getting into a routine, you wind-down from your stimulated state and tell your brain that it's time for sleep.

Good ideas include:

• Take a soothing soak in the bath
• Practice mindfulness meditation, or deep breathing exercises
• Listen to soothing music
• Read a book

Aim to Sleep Before 10 p.m.

If you're not asleep by ten, you can expect your brain and body to come alive at that hour. That's because melatonin ramps up. Melatonin is supposed to help your body repair and rejuvenate (which it does best between ten and two in the morning). But, if you're awake, you may find yourself buzzing like a wire, unable to get to sleep at all.

When your body revs up, your mind can suddenly come alive with ideas and plans. If you throw on your light and spend an hour scribbling them down until you feel fatigued again, you're likely to feel tired in the morning.

Best to try and be asleep before then.

Be careful with pillows

Sleeping on your back: Don't use a thick pillow. That will push your neck out of correct alignment with your spine, causing headaches, neck pain, and back pain. Sleep on your back with one thin pillow, comfortable enough to support the natural curve of the neck, but lower than for side sleepers.

Sleeping on your side: Use a single comfortable pillow. It should hold your head in a straight line. For additional comfort and to keep your hips and spine in alignment, put a single, firm pillow between your knees.

Sleeping on your front: Don't use a pillow under your head. This will hyperextend your neck and cause pain. Instead, place a small, firm pillow under your belly to support your hips and the small of your back. Alternatively, a pillow beneath your pelvis might be more comfortable.

READ Different Treatment Options For Neck Pain: How Effective They Are?

Sleep in the Nude

Sleep Expert Shawn Stevenson suggests his patients sleep naked. When our body temperature is high, it's harder to sleep. Studies suggest that insomniacs have a higher body temperature at night than those who get a sound sleep. Sleeping in the buff might help lower your temperature; keeping your room a pleasant 16c to 20c may also help.

Research by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found that cooling the body helped insomniacs to sleep. When insomniacs were fitted with "cooling caps", they fell asleep up to 16 minutes earlier.

If you Can't Sleep, Get Up

Finally, if you can't sleep, don't just lie there and think about it. If it's been 20 minute's and the Sandman still hasn't arrived, get up and do something soothing (such as reading or listening to music) until you feel drowsy again.

Lying in bed, watching the minutes tick by and hoping to fall back to sleep only removes the association of your bedroom and sleep, making it harder to fall asleep while lying in your bed in future.

READ Differences between Sleep Apnea and Sleep Enuresis

Can't I Just Take Medication?

There are over-the-counter and prescription medications available for insomnia. However, they're only recommended for between a few days to two weeks at a time, and become less effective over time. That means practicing good sleep hygiene (where you get up and go to bed at a good hour, and relax before bed) is more effective long-term for many patients.

However, some patients suffer with a medical condition that causes poor sleep and fatigue, such as sleep apnoea (where you stop breathing for short periods while you sleep). Still others continue to suffer insomnia, even when practicing healthy living.

These tips might not work for you. However, they are a safe way to try and ease your insomnia.

If they don't help within two weeks, always see a doctor for further advice.