There are known methods you can start right now that can impact your sleep. These are methods that have been found in research studies to help increase your ability to stay in bed, get some decent sleep, and wake up rested.
Here are 17 different tips for you to cure your insomnia, starting tonight:
Minimize the amount of light in the bedroom.
Make it as dark as possible even cover the alarm clock. What this does is help restore the hormonal balance of melatonin in regulating your sleep cycles. For melatonin to be produced, you need a completely dark room.
Sleep Restriction Methods
Restrict the time you are in the bedroom from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. (for example). Then at 8 a.m. no matter what, make yourself get up and stay up the rest of the day. This will force your brain and body to be so tired that it has no choice except to force you to sleep.
What happens with this method is that you first get a full 4 hours of sleep, then 4-1/2 hours, then 5, then 6 and then 8 hours. People who use this method are cured of their insomnia. Here’s a Youtube video on sleep restriction. However, this method does need a lot of discipline and takes about 6 weeks to cure your insomnia.
Take Control Over the Bedroom Environment
Keep the room temperature even and eliminate the noise in the bedroom. If your AC or central heating is to start during the night leave the fan on so you don’t wake up when the system starts.
Avoid Digestive System Interruptions to Sleep
Avoid eating large meals before bed. If you are too full or not digesting well, this can keep you up.
Stop The Stimulants
If you’re taking anything with caffeine in it before bed – even 6 or more hours – then you will risk being awake for the whole night. This doesn’t mean you have to give up coffee completely, but you do have to see what is the time frame your body needs to recover from the effects of caffeine.
Limit the amount of stimulants (energy drinks, caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol) consumed during the day, especially close to bedtime.
Exercise Earlier in the Day
Avoid vigorous exercise at least two hours prior to sleep. Exercise stimulates different metabolic and biochemical pathways that can keep you awake and alert.
Use Good Habits to Break a Bad Habit
Create a routine before bed such as turning off all the lights in the house, check the door locks, check on the kids if you have any, turn on relaxing music, take a long hot bath with candles burning and then go to bed.
Eliminate All LED Lights After Sunset
LED lights and blue light from TV, tablets, phones, laptops and computers stimulate your brain and will keep you awake. Read a book and use ambient lights (yellow) from the night stand.
Set An Extra Alarm
If worried about waking up on time, make sure you have 2 alarms on. Set your normal alarm clock and your phone, cover them to hide the light and close your eyes.
Avoid EMF From Alarm Clocks and Cell Phones
There’s been a lot of recent research about damaging electromagnetic fields given off from alarm clocks and cell phones, even when the clock or cell phone is 3 to 6 feet away from you. Move all alarm clocks, and cell phones and other electronic gadgets away from your head so you aren’t influenced and your sleep is disrupted. Better yet, put the cell phone charger in another room of the house.
Choose Your Time for Picking an Argument
If you have any types of problems, worries or disputes, don’t bring up the subject just before bedtime. The added upset can keep you up all night long.
Save the Bad News for Another Time, Not Bedtime
Don’t watch TV news, news segments or any program that would make you worry about the future.
Time to Eat a Healthy Diet
Eat only nutritious foods that give you plenty of vitamins and minerals. Avoid refined grains and sugar. Sugar can keep you addicted to it, driving your body to go for food in the middle of the night, especially if you ate a donut or cookies before bed.
Engage the Help of Nature
During the day, go outside and enjoy a few minutes of sunlight or daylight to help your circadian cycle (cycle of light and darkness).
Better Yet, Engage the Help of the Earth
By “grounding” your feet into the earth – which means taking off socks and shoes and sitting or standing on the grass, the earth can transmit enough negative ions into ion channels in your feet that help replenish your antioxidant levels. The end result is you sleep better at night.
Learn to Relax
Once in bed, just relax. If the room is completely dark you don’t have to force yourself in closing your eyes. Breathe slowly in and out, let your body relax one limb or body part at a time. Just let go and let Natural Sleep Aid assist you.
Use a Natural Sleep Aid
A natural sleep aid will include ingredients that are natural and known to play a role in the natural sleep and wake cycle. For example, three ingredients could be melatonin (not the drug version), passionflower, valerian root and GABA.
Melatonin is naturally produced by your pineal gland. It’s a natural hormone that shows its highest levels around 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. When the sun sets, the lower levels of light triggers neural signals to stimulate the pineal gland to start releasing melatonin. The pineal gland stops the process when levels are high enough at 2 to 3 a.m.
The correct dosage to re-establish melatonin levels is 0.3 to 1.0 mg daily.
Passionflower extract has long been known as a sedative. It also stops spasms in the muscles, calms racing thoughts, and is helpful for those who have racing thoughts, are anxious, restless and need a good night of sleep.
Valerian root is another herb that has been used for its sleep-inducing properties for centuries. This herb is given to those who are unable to sleep. It may also be used with other herbs that cause drowsiness such as hops or lemon balm. Valerian root is sometimes used by those who are trying to wean themselves off of sleeping pills.
Other types of people who seem to benefit most from valerian root are those who are nervous, anxious, depressed, have headaches or migraines, have asthma or an upset stomach or menstrual cramps, and are hysterical. It may also help those who have epilepsy, ADHD, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, or are suffering from menopausal symptoms.
GABA is called the body’s natural anti-anxiety medication. It is considered one of the brain’s natural neurotransmitters and helps turn off a busy mind, yet focus the mind during the day for effective concentration. GABA increases the alpha waves in the brain, an important prerequisite for sleep. 
GABA has been used to prevent insomnia and restlessness. Interestingly, body builders also use GABA to tone their muscles and prevent spasms.
It makes a lot of sense to try a natural sleep remedy before you try a drug for sleep disorders!
