subject: Part Two - Top Tips For Beating Insomnia [print this page] If theres more than one cause of your sleep problems, tackle these one at a time, starting with the physical issues if there are any. Chronic back or neck pain or any other kind of injury can be a trigger of stress and anxiety so if you can get that sorted first, chances are youll find your mind taking a turn for the better too. Dont rule out alternative therapies such as acupuncture, Pilates or reflexology as all three can be pain-free ways to a new you and might work better than traditional physiotherapy or chiropractics for some people.
Just telling someone about your trouble sleeping is a huge step to solving the problem because it will highlight the issue so that you can address it, it will no doubt make you realise that almost everyone you tell has had similar problems so you wont feel so isolated and youll be able to get great advice. Routine is extremely important and sleep experts recommend that you use a bedroom as a bedroom only, in other words to sleep. Reading, watching television, using the phone or computer are all absolute no-nos in the bedroom as they all stimulate the brain which then stimulates other parts of the body and make it very difficult to relax and go to sleep. If you like to read or watch television before you go to bed, do this in the living room for a set period each evening and try and limit books, films or programmes that are particularly stimulating or action packed as theyll get you worked up and itll take hours to switch off your brain.
The other thing to remember is that everyone is different when it comes to how they like to sleep, whether this is on your side, back or front, but what everyone needs is the right level of support for the spine, neck, shoulder, head and hips. The wrong mattress, bed base and pillow combination can create massive pressure points on your body which in turn will cause pain or stiffness and will eventually mean restless nights or lack of sleep. Mattresses and beds can be a big investment thats for sure but its got to be worth it. Think of your productivity in terms of work and relationships when you havent had enough sleep, both are seriously diminished and this can lead to personal problems and even losing your job.
