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insomnia

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A lot of people have difficulties for falling asleep at night, so much so that #TeamInsomnia is a popular reference on social media. While the causes differ, there are common cures, here is a list;

1. Use the bedroom for sleeping and romance only

Do not watch TV or use your computer or bring a workload to bed. The idea is to train your mind to associate bed with sleep so that when you get into bed, your body gets a signal to nod off.

2. Establish a bedtime routine

Do the same things in the same order at the same time everyday as you prepare to go to bed. This trains your mind to anticipate sleep at a regular time, everyday.

3. Get out of bed when you cannot sleep

Tossing and turning only increases anxiety. When you cannot sleep, get out of the bedroom and do something relaxing like reading a book or taking a bath or having a cup of tea. When you are sleepy, come back to bed.

4. Move bedroom clocks out of view

Watching the clock when you can’t sleep and knowing you have an early morning is a recipe for insomnia, especially when you think you will wake up exhausted. You can use an alarm, but make sure you can’t see the time from the bed.

5. Do not use your phone in bed

You might want to talk to your friends till you fall asleep, but in truth, communication makes you active and thus more susceptible to insomnia. Tweeting about your insomnia won’t help cure it.

You could also supplement all these with some form of physical exercise during the day. I also find that not drinking coffee after 7pm helps; that should true for energy drinks as well.
Should the above no help, it is OK to seek professional help.