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What Are Remedies That Help You Go to Sleep?

At least 30 to 40 percent of adults report struggling with insomnia at least once in a given year according to the National Center for Sleep Disorders Research at the National Institutes of Health. Sometimes, sleep problems are related to an underlying physical or emotional condition, making it difficult to pinpoint the true origin of the trouble. Whatever the cause, chronic sleeplessness is detrimental to overall health and should be addressed.

  1. Good Sleep Hygiene

    • The set of habits an individual practices throughout the day and especially leading up to bedtime can affect his chance of sleeping well. These habits are known as "sleep hygiene," and are the first place most physicians look to correct sleep problems. Good habits include waking and going to sleep at the same time each day, avoiding caffeine and alcohol several hours before bed and maintaining a quiet and restful atmosphere in the bedroom. Often, simply correcting poor habits in these areas can alleviate mild to moderate insomnia.

    Light Therapy

    • Our sleep patterns are tied to an internal clock that tells our body when to be awake and when to go to sleep. These natural patterns are known as circadian rhythms. Exposure to light is one of the environmental cues which helps our bodies establish when to wake up and when to wind down. For some insomnia sufferers, therapy sessions using bright lights in the early morning hours can help the body adjust to the proper rhythm for daytime alertness and nighttime drowsiness. The benefits of light therapy can also be achieved by simply getting outside soon after waking to gain exposure to the sun.

    Medication

    • For more serious sleep problems, your physician may suggest medication. A growing number of drugs exist to help the body achieve good sleep by manipulating the neurological processes involved. When used correctly, these medications can provide tremendous relief to exhausted insomniacs. However, few of them are intended for long-term use, and all have potential side effects. For this reason, better long-term results are achieved when drug therapy is combined with other treatments like improving sleep hygiene.

    Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

    • One of the lesser-known treatments for sleep disorders is cognitive-behavioral therapy. This type of therapy involves addressing some of the underlying causes of poor sleep. This non-drug treatment is usually performed in a short-term set of four to eight sessions, and may involve learning relaxation techniques, dealing with stressful thoughts that may disturb sleep and developing good sleep hygiene. Some sleep disorder specialists consider this the first step toward resolving insomnia.

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