Insomnia Cure

The treatment of insomnia begins by identifying the underlying medical disorder. The doctor or sleep specialist may recommend a variety of solutions depending on the cause of the insomnia. Treatments may include medication, therapy, change in diet, exercise, relaxation techniques and a change in sleeping environment.

Insomnia cure can be as simple as making changes in your daily routine such as going to sleep only when you are tired. The bedroom should only be used for sleeping. All other activities should take place elsewhere. If you don’t fall asleep shortly after getting into bed, get up and do something relaxing and then go back to bed once you feel sleepy.

Establishing a regular bedtime and sleep schedule is a must for getting a good night sleep. Make it a habit to wake up at the same time no matter what. Your body will eventually get used to it and let you know when it is time for bed.

Avoid naps, but if necessary, a 30-minute (or less) nap during the afternoon (not close to bedtime) could be refreshing and may not disturb your regular sleep.

If you are not adequately tired, relaxing before bed will ensure a good night sleep. Conditioning yourself to have pleasant relaxing thoughts before bed instead of worrying or thinking about exciting things is a step in the right direction. You might want to try listening to an audio tape that combines sounds of nature with relaxing background music. Soothing sounds alone or in combination with relaxation techniques can induce sleep.

Sleep restriction therapy is a fairly successful technique that involves restricting the amount of sleep over a period of days to build up a sleep deficit. Having a sleep deficit increases your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. The key is to gradually increase the sleeping time in order to reduce the amount of time spent awake in bed. The goal is to spend at least 85% of the time in bed sleeping.

Sometimes, medication is prescribed in order to induce sleep. There are different types of medications and these may include anti-anxiety drugs, sedatives and tranquilizers. Unfortunately, the body can become resistant to these medications, making them less effective. There is a chance that these medications could become habit forming so a doctor’s prescription and supervision is needed. All medications should be taken as prescribed. If insomnia is found to be related to depression, an antidepressant may be prescribed.

Most over the counter medications contain antihistamines as the key ingredient to promote drowsiness. Antihistamine based drugs such as sleeping pills are not very effective because the body promptly adapts and develops a resistance to its effects, thus requiring higher and higher dosages. Although OTC sleep aids are fine for the occasional sleepless night, it is not recommended for regular use as a number of them have diphenhydramine, which can cause daytime drowsiness and difficulty in urinating.