Insomnia can be one of the most difficult problems for human beings to deal with. We all need sleep on a regular basis in order to switch off from the day, process the information we have grappled with during the day, and for the body to have a chance to repair itself. But sleep is often a balancing act, and there are lots of other factors that can interfere with it. Emotional state can have a huge impact, whether we are feeling very down or anxious, and unable to stop worrying, or feeling lonely and agitated. Then there are physical problems, such as being in pain or feeling unwell, in which case there is the physical discomfort as well as the worry about why we are not well.

Environmental factors play a huge part, as any new parent will know, when a crying baby or fretful toddler can keep you up for hours, or noise (particularly someone snoring loudly next to you – just to add insult to injury!), or light. There are many different distractions in the modern world that interfere with the running of the circadian clock.

It is worth noting that there are also many individual differences, and some people need more sleep than others, but generally 6-8 hours a night is considered the norm for adults. The main aim of sleep is to be able to drop off to sleep fairly easily, to complete the sleep cycle and to wake up feeling refreshed and able to have some energy to face the day, at least once you are up anyway! Someone may have a block of 5 or 6 hours of sleep, but actually feel able to function well, whilst someone else may have 7 hours of broken sleep and feel like a zombie the next day.

So how can you improve your quality and quantity of sleep if you are going through a bad time with it? Fortunately, there are lots of things you can do, before resorting to sleeping tablets. Just for information, sleeping tablets need to be carefully monitored and controlled by your doctor, as they can be addictive and unfortunately become less effective over time, as the body gets used to them, so these should only be taken under medical supervision.
Below are seven tips to help improve your sleep. These are NOT quick fixes, as it takes time for your body to adjust to a new routine, but long term they work very well for overcoming insomnia.

• • Adults are like children when it comes to sleep – we respond best to the same routine night after night, as our brains pick up on cues that it is time to slow down and prepare for sleep. If you cannot go to bed at the same time each night, try to go through the same steps in your routine anyway, and this should help.
  • Have a warm shower or bath about an hour before you want to go to sleep. Body temperature rises with the warm water, and drops when you get out, and the drop in temperature helps your body to slow down.
  • Eat regularly through the day. Eating and sleeping are very closely linked so if you are hungry you will not sleep very well! Equally, don’t have a heavy meal within about 3 hours of going to bed, as your body will still be busy digesting food. Milk and bananas have an enzyme in them that makes you sleepy, so a hot chocolate or milky bedtime drink can be comforting and helpful.
  • Keep your bed for sleep and sex! If you work in your bed, watch TV, scroll through social media and other activities, your brain won’t compute that it is time to unwind and get dozy. It will gear itself up for entertainment or concentrating on work tasks, and the light from mobile phones and tablets contribute to your brain staying awake.
  • Make your bedroom a place that is calm and relaxing, dark, not too hot or cold, and somewhere you like to be.
  • If you cannot drop off after 30 minutes try getting up, going to another room, and doing something quiet but distracting. Jigsaw puzzles are good, or word searches, reading or listening to a relaxation exercise. If you are worrying, write the worries down on paper and put it in a drawer, this helps to get the thoughts out of your head and let them go. Then try going back to bed after 15-20 minutes.
  • Get up at the same time each morning, regardless of how well you have slept during the night and try not to nap during the day. This can be really hard for a few days but it helps your body clock to re-set and get a block of sleep at night.