Self Care for Insomnia

If you are looking for insomnia relief, here are some useful self care tips. If you don’t get results, consult your physician, because it’s possible you may be experiencing anxiety or depression.

Natural Remedies to Cure Insomnia

• Don’t work in bed. If you use your bedroom for paying bills or studying, entering it can become a signal to become active rather than to go to sleep.
• Instead of watching TV before bedtime, which can stimulate your nervous system and keep you awake, listen to relaxing music and practice deep breathing for 10 to 20 minutes. Alternately, try self-hypnosis for insomnia relief or a binaural beats CD to help influence your brainwaves and relax your mind and body.
• Get some exercise every day so your body feels tired at night.
• Take a warm bath before bed. Adding Epsom salts will help you relax more.
• Make sure your bed is comfortable and that you are not too hot or too cold. Use pillows, knee separators, leg wedges, mattresses, and other sleep products that are comfortable and provide the support you need.
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine in the evening, because they stimulate your nervous system and can keep you awake. Keep a food diary to help you determine if eating any particular food is associated with not being able to sleep. Some foods, such as herbal teas and warm milk, may also help promote sleep.
• Use relaxation techniques, such as slow abdominal breathing, to get rid of excess tension that contributes to insomnia. Breathe slowly, concentrating on filling your abdomen like a balloon. Continue for up to 5 minutes at a time, but stop if you get dizzy.
• Do some gentle floor stretches before bed, again to rid yourself of excess tension that contributes to insomnia. Lying down with your feet on the floor and your knees up, lower your knees from side to side. Tilt your pelvis forward and back several times. Slowly turn your head from side to side. Stretch gently and slowly anywhere you feel tight.
• Regular massage can help relieve your body's cumulative tension that contributes to insomnia. People often report that they sleep better after a massage.