10 ways to deal with insomnia

I have been struggling lately with severe insomnia. Part of the problem is that my husband snores and that wakes me up, at which point I am unable to fall back asleep. The other problem is that my anxiety hits me at night often and I have trouble “shutting off my brain” to allow me to fall asleep. This isn’t the first time I have struggled with sleep problems. In case you were suffering from insomnia as well, I compiled a list of things that work for me and some suggestions you could try.

1. Try reading a book before you go to sleep. This can backfire though so be careful! I find that reading one or two chapters at a maximum helps me to focus on something other than my problems and gives my mind a chance to relax, allowing me to fall asleep.
2. Drink something warm and decaffeinated to relax you before bed. The old saying is to drink a cup of warm milk (BLECH!) but I find a decaf tea works well too.
3. Diffuse some lavender or other soothing essential oil. I use both Lavender and Serenity from doTerra but use whatever brand you like. This helps me fall and stay asleep.
4. Don’t eat before bed. I limit what I eat and drink before bed. Eating makes me wired and drinking too much almost always leads to a trip to the bathroom in the middle of the night. I have to be really careful about what I put into my body before bed.
5. Stay away from online activity before bed. Keep the smartphone off and don’t check social media one hour prior to bedtime. Screen time is a surefire way to ensure you stay awake longer than you planned.
6. Make sure you are comfortable and the temperature is good. I can’t sleep in uncomfortable clothes and it has to be cool in the room for me to sleep. Find your happy temp and stick to it.
7. White noise may help. I run a fan year round in my room for white noise. You can use an app if you don’t have a fan. Anything to give you a little noise (NO music) to help you relax will work.
8. Practice deep breathing. I not only deep breathe but I pray before bed. This helps clear my mind and allow me to fall asleep.
9. Avoid strenuous activity before bed. Don’t exercise right before bed. The body will react in a way so that you won’t be able to fall asleep.
10. Don’t force it. If you can’t fall asleep, get up. Staying in bed, tossing and turning, only makes you more anxious. Get up and read a book, drink some decaf tea, or take a bath. When you get sleepy, try going to bed again.