Have you been unjustly labeled a night owl? You don’t want to be up all night. You’re quite ready for bed but, unfortunately, sleep is nowhere to be found. What you are experiencing is quite possibly insomnia.
Insomnia is the inability to get quality sleep. It can manifest as inability to fall asleep or inability to stay asleep. For some people, it is a quick, transient inconvenience. For others, however, it can be a chronic, exhausting medical condition.
We are all familiar with the many sleep aids that are out there, but did you know that there are some interventions you can start right now, in your own home? Let’s review 7 at-home steps that may carry you off to dream land.
- Don’t exercise within 2 hours before bed. (We WANT you to exercise, we really do, just earlier in the day please)
- Take a hot shower 2 hours before bed
- If unable to fall asleep within 15 minutes get up and go to another room, read a book (like a real book, not a kindle, not your iPhone, not the TV..look – if it has a screen, put it down). Go back to bed once tired. Repeat as necessary.
- Keep a pen/paper at bedside and write down what’s on your mind….even if it is the same thing every night (we won’t judge)
- Turn clock away from you so you don’t see the time and do that horrible internal count down.
- Try not to nap in the day time.
- Avoid caffeine or chocolate (let’s all wipe away a silent tear here) late in the day to avoid the stimulating effects they both possess.
Now, if you have done ALL these measures and you are still staring at the wall with bloodshot eyes, it is time to call your family doctor. Let us help you transition from a night owl to an early bird!
