Sleep eluding you? Here’s help

Feel envious when your friends tell you how quickly they fall asleep as soon as their head hits the pillow?

Find yourself tossing and turning for hours waiting to fall asleep? You aren’t alone. Thousands of people across the world suffer from insomnia. Here are a few tips that might come in handy…
– One of the primary reasons for insomnia is stress. Constantly worrying about things? Stress manifests in different ways and one of them is sleeplessness. Before going to bed, meditate for 15-20 minutes everyday. This will calm your mind and help you de-stress.
– Pay attention to what you eat for dinner every night. Certain foods can cause your body to stay awake longer than you want. Stay away from caffeine and alcohol before bed. Avoid smoking, too.
– Is the last thing you do before bed is watch some TV? Don’t. This affects some people in a negative way and hampers sleep.
– Keep a diary of everything you do and eat during the day. This will help you keep track of things that might trigger insomnia. In case you go to a doctor, it will also help him/ her identify causes.
– Look around your bedroom. Is it really conducive for a good night’s sleep? Shut the windows if sound disturbs you. Draw the curtains so that no outside light can come in. Keep all electronic gadgets away or off.
– Chronic insomniacs need to get treatment. One of the most popular mode of treatment is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which is said to be very effective at battling this condition.
– The mattress you use is of great importance. Avoid using soft mattresses and pillows. While these might seem comfortable at first, they will just end up giving you a sore back. Use a hard mattress that will give your back adequate support.
– Your bedtime routine should follow a pattern. If you sleep and wake up at different times everyday, your body will be confused. Stick to a particular time to sleep and wake up each day and see how it helps.
– Don’t eat on your bed or get your office files and laptop on it. Your bed should be your sanctuary reserved just for uninterrupted