Tricks for the Tired

by: Marian Segal

If you're having trouble sleeping, you may want to try modifying some behaviors that might be keeping you awake. The American Sleep Disorders Association suggests one or more of the following practices might help:

• Get up about the same time every day, regardless of when you go to bed.
• Go to bed only when sleepy.
• Establish relaxing pre-sleep rituals, such as a warm bath, light bedtime snack, reading, or watching television.
• Exercise regularly. Get vigorous exercise--such as jogging or squash--in the late afternoon, and mild exercise--such as simple stretching or walking--two or three hours before bedtime.
• Don't eat or drink caffeine-containing products within six hours of bedtime. It's better not to smoke at all, but if you do, avoid smoking at bedtime. Caffeine and nicotine are both stimulants. Even if they don't interfere with falling asleep, they may trigger awakenings later.
• Don't drink alcoholic beverages at bedtime. A nightcap may induce sleep, but it can interfere with sound sleep through the night.
• Don't nap, unless you find that naps don't interfere with sleep later on.
• If you often worry at bedtime, reserve another time of day for working on problems.
• If you can't sleep, get out of bed and go to another room to read or watch television.

You may want to try sleep restriction. This strategy is based on the finding that many insomniacs spend excessive time in bed, hoping to make up for lost sleep.

Go to bed later than usual, and get up at the same time each morning. Stay in bed only as long as you actually sleep, even if it's only a few hours. When you sleep at least 90 percent of your allotted time in bed for five days in a row, go to bed 15 minutes earlier. After a week or two you should be sleeping better and, after a few months, as long as you want.

While you can try this on a do-it-yourself basis, ASDA says, it is generally more easily done under the supervision of a sleep specialist.

This article was published in FDA Consumer magazine several years ago. It is no longer being maintained and may contain information that is out of date.

About the Author

Marian Segal