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You can sleep without pills and still beat insomnia

The fifty following tips will help you to have a better night's sleep

1. Try to relax before bedtime; take a walk or read a newspaper; just
do something which is not stressful.

2. Do your paperwork or other work-related activities early in the
evening.

3. Make sure your bedroom is not noisy.

4. If your bedroom is noisy and you can't correct it, wear earplugs.

5. Think of places you fell asleep easily and try to copy those places;
set your room up the same way.

6. Check the medicines you are taking to see that they aren't nervous
system stimulants.

7. Make sure your bedroom is well-ventilated but not too cold.

8. Don't use too many or too few blankets.

9. Don't tuck your sheets in too tight at the bottom of the bed; your
feet should feel free and unrestricted.

10. Your mattress should not sag.

11. Have a big enough bed for yourself; if you're 6'8", don't try
sleeping in a single bed.

12. Your pyjamas or night gown should be comfortable, not too tight.

13. Use a pillow that suits you, soft or firm, whichever you prefer; or
not at all, if that's what you prefer.

14. If you like a soft light on while you sleep, have one on.

15. If you prefer to sleep in darkness make sure your blinds are thick.

16. Rise at the same time seven days a week, no matter what.

17. Do not linger in bed when you wake up; instead, get up right away
and start moving on with your morning routine.

18. Avoid napping in the afternoon.

19. Do some sort of physical exercise each day which will tire you out.

20. Cut down on smoking and drinking alcohol at least two hours before
bedtime.

21. Don't drink coffee or soft drinks containing caffeine after dinner.

22. If you like to watch TV before going to bed, keep it light; watch a
comedy instead of a drama.

23. If you like to read before going to bed, keep it light. Read to a
logical stopping point, so you won't lie awake wondering what's going to
happen.

24. Don't socialise with friends with whom you are likely to argue in
the evening. Night time arguments are like poison to an insomniac.

25. Establish a regular bed-time.

26. Avoid eating too much salt with your dinner and in any after-dinner
snacks.

27. Try eating snacks high in calcium and protein before retiring;
small amounts of cheese and nuts contain Tryptophan, an amino acid which
promotes sleep.

28. Take bone meal tablets or some other form of calcium regularly
after dinner.

29. Herbal teas such as camomile and valerian induce sleep.

30. Try a teaspoon of brewer's yeast and a tablespoon of molasses in a
glass of milk.

31. Don't forget about a glass of warm milk before bed; it does work.

32. A teaspoon of honey in a cup of hot water is said to induce sleep.

33. Another old-fashioned remedy is to take two teaspoons of cider
vinegar with two teaspoons honey in a glass of warm water.

34. Ask your spouse which sleeping position you sleep most soundly in;
try to assume that position upon retiring.

35. Don't go for 8 hours of sleep; you may only need 4 to 6 hours.

36. Spend no more than 3 minutes thinking about the day's problems when
you are in bed.

37. If you find it difficult to sleep with your spouse, try getting
twin beds or separate bedrooms.

38. The optimum temperature for sleep is 60 to 64 degrees F.

39. Relax before bed in a warm bath.

40. Buy a humidifier to keep your room warm in the winter without
drying out the air too much.

41. Add a tablespoon of dry mustard powder to your before-bed bath.

42. Add baking soda to the bath water.

43. Foot baths before bed help.

44. Before bed, listen to relaxing music.

45. When you are in bed, recall the happiest experiences of your life.

46. Ask someone to read aloud to you in bed before you go to sleep.

47. Lie on your back in bed and relax each muscle in your body.

48. Visualise various parts of your body relaxing.

49. Concentrate on doing some deep breathing as you lie in bed.

50. If all else fails, try counting sheep; it's an age-old cure and has
helped many an insomniac get a good night's sleep.

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