You Can't Sleep? Here Are Things To Do.

If you've ever suffered from insomnia or lack of adequately sleep, you'll know that it can be terrifying. You're stuck, and you can't see the end of it.


Its possible to be very tired yet can't sleep, ironic right?  This has a lot to do with your body clock being out-of sync with your body's natural rhythms and hormone levels, due to our natural need at this time for recovery and, therefore, more sleep than necessary.

Often though, there are other things at play: stress, worry, digestive issues, stimulants, high emotions, artificial lights in the bedroom, or a distracting noise, for example. Our body and mind have trouble processing this, and therefore switching off can be tricky.

 When you sleep very well, you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go, whereas if you didnt, you feel  worse than when you went to bed. Sometimes,  I sleep by 11pm, wake up, fall asleep again until 1am, then spend until 5am trying to get my body back into a normal sleep rhythm. Sometimes,  I get on net for lack of what to do to get sleep (fiddling with gadgets is obviously one of the worst things you can do for insomnia, but at the time, it was all I felt I could do.)

Here are 15 things to try if you're suffering from insomnia (from an expert in insomnia)

1. Have a relaxing bath just before you want to go to bed.

2. Change your bed linens, so you fall into fresh sheets. (This is especially effective after a bath!)

3. Meditation, meditation, meditation!....prayer helps too

4. If you don't fall asleep instantly, don't be hard on yourself. (This makes it much worse!) Simply acknowledge that you're feeling a little restless and relax.

5. Walk around a little bit if you're feeling restless.  Read a book

6. Establish a regular "going to bed" routine: If possible  no computer or screens after 8pm (excluding the occasional movie outing!), using gorgeous herbal products to wash my face, meditation, reading, breath work, and writing a gratitude list.

7. Read a short passage from something inspiring and uplifting to relax you every night. One of my favorites is Louise Hay's You Can Heal Your Life or a Bible

8. Rub lavender oil on wrists and neck before bed. Drop some on the pillow too....it will relax you .

9. Try not to eat too close to going to bed. You'll feel that you have to stay up later just to let your food digest.

10. Drinking too much just before bed can also unsettle you. It will  wake you up at intervals to run to the bathroom. Talk about insomnia self-sabotage!

11. Try not to have any big or potentially stressful conversations before going to bed. I'm still learning with this one!

12. Make sure the temperature of your bedroom is just right, not too hot or too cold. Adjust duvets or sheets as necessary.

13. Make sure any red lights from TVs or phones are covered up. Better still, switch them off altogether!

14. Cut down on caffeine, or cut it out completely. Have it before noon if you can't resist. Green tea is a great alternative.

15. Most importantly, do not think about having insomnia. Don't let your brain stay awake because you've subconsciously told it you're expecting it to!

I hope these tips help you in some way. What about you? How do you cope with insomnia?

Sweet dreams!