5 More Tips For Insomnia

There is a lot you can try to help you get a better night’s sleep. Make sure you read part 1 of our advice for improving the quality of your sleep, and then see below for 5 more tips to manage symptoms of insomnia.

1. Make your room dark

A lot of people underestimate the impact of a truly dark room. Ambient street lights, LED bulbs in your electronics, and even leaving your TV or phone on are common sources of excess light. Make sure your phone screen and TV are turned off before bed and invest in blackout curtains or shades to fully darken your room. A sleep mask is another viable option for eliminating light. Many people struggle to get comfortable with a sleep mask on, but if you can adjust to the sensation of a mask, it can be a game changer.

2. Crank up the AC

Sleep research has repeatedly shown that sleeping in a warm room increases wakefulness and interferes with REM sleep. Conversely, that same research shows that sleeping in a cold room increases sleepiness and helps you to fall into a deep sleep. A temperature of 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit is recommended. Your room should feel uncomfortably cool outside of your blankets. You can also try lightweight bedding, fans, and more breathable pajamas.

3. Manage anxiety before going to bed

If you’re someone who lays awake in bed due to your racing thoughts and feelings of anxiety, it’s important to address those anxious feelings before laying down to sleep. Before starting your bedtime routine (read more about bedtime routines in part 1), devote 10-15 minutes to acknowledging your anxiety. You can try writing down anything that’s worrying or upsetting you at that moment, meditating, or using any other coping skill you’ve found helpful for processing anxious feelings.

4. Avoid alcohol & caffeine

Both caffeine and alcohol interfere with your brain’s ability to sleep. Caffeine is a stimulant that promotes wakefulness, and while alcohol may help you to feel calm or sleepy, it interferes with your REM cycle and can lead to a night of restless, fitful sleep. It’s recommended to not drink caffeine past 2 pm and to consume no alcohol 3 hours before bed. Drinking plenty of water in that 3-hour period can also help minimize the negative impacts of alcohol on your body.

5. Limit or avoid naps

Chronic insomniacs often fall into a cycle of poor nighttime sleep they compensate for with daytime naps. The problem with consistent, and particularly long, naps is that it confuses your circadian rhythm. You can accidentally train your body to get sleepy during the day and alert at night. Furthermore, your brain doesn’t know the difference between nighttime sleep and a daytime nap. When you nap for longer than 20 minutes, your brain begins to fall into deeper and deeper stages of sleep. If you have ever woken up from a long nap feeling disoriented and groggy, this is why. A long nap is essentially the same thing as going to sleep at 10 pm and waking up for the day at midnight. If you have insomnia, it’s best not to nap at all. But if you absolutely have to, then limit it to no more than 20-30 minutes.

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