Beating Insomnia

With so many demands on our time we are busy from morning to night and can’t always achieve everything we want to. All this excitement and stimulation throughout the day creates a lot of internal tension. It can be a real challenge to relax and shut down for a good nights sleep! Learning to live a life in balance can help you overcome those sleepless nights!

The first key to getting restful sleep is to get up early and get exposure to bright light or sunshine! The bright light hits your eyes and signals your brain that it’s time to be awake and alert. Also, having some form of mentally stimulating activity early in the day helps set your internal clock for awake time.

Next, getting daily physical activity activates your central nervous system to keep you going all day without suffering fatigue. Walk as often as possible as it has been found that this simple rhythmic activity helps reduce nervous tension. Walking is also, the easiest, safest form of weight bearing exercise and can be done almost anytime or place.

Two to three times a week you should practice some form of vigorous exercise in the late afternoon. Not only is this aerobic activity great for the heart, lungs, and circulation, it also triggers the sleep response some hours later. When these triggers hit you should be ready to turn in for the night.

Proper appetite control and eating habits greatly influence a good nights sleep so paying attention to meals is also a key to overcoming insomnia. Set limits as to portions and chewing each bite 25 to 30 times will make you feel full on less food. Never eat the last bite of anything on your plate. Give yourself fewer choices of food and it will be easier to avoid temptations. When you get a craving, stop! Take some action first! Make a phone call, put stuff away, take out the trash, walk down the block and back. Then think, do you really want that now, or can you pass? Lastly, allow two or three hours after dinner before sleep time. It’s very difficult to drop off to sleep or stay asleep on a full stomach.

Finally, you will feel happier and positive about your life when you have several close relationships with trusted friends. Get involved with these friends and activities you enjoy together. Stay in touch with “in-person” visits, e-mail just isn’t the same! Also, make some quiet time to spend with yourself or someone you love everyday. Even just a brief time out will re-energize your mind.

Doing these things everyday will give your life balance and assist you to settle down at night and just let go. You will feel better and more relaxed. Spend the last hour before bed having some quiet time to read, talk, or meditate. Don’t watch tv or stay on the internet during that time. The electronic signals tend to put the brain in full wakefulness and make it hard to drift off to sleep.

The highlights for finding balance and Beating Insomnia:

  • Sunshine first thing in the morning
  • Mental stimulation early in the day
  • Walking daily
  • Vigorous activity in late afternoon 2-3x week
  • Fewer food choices, never clean your plate, & chew each bite 30x
  • Eat your last meal 2-4 hours before bedtime
  • Take action before snacking
  • Get together with friends and have some fun
  • Enjoy a little solitude each day
  • Practice a one hour shut down routine each night just before bedtime


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