Trouble Sleeping

As anybody who has ever had sleep problems knows, there is nothing worse than lying in bed and finding that you can't sleep. Not being able to sleep can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you realize that the only way you are going to cure your sleep problems is to figure out the reason you can't sleep.

Sometimes the reason you can't sleep is simple: you have had too much caffeine that day, you worked out too close to your bedtime, you have had too much excitement and your brain is just not ready to settle down yet. There are plenty of ways to help your body relax and to encourage your body to let you get some rest.

Sometimes, though, the sleep problems are more psychological. Perhaps you are under stress at work, or you have just gone through a major change in your life (moving, starting a relationship, ending a relationship, having a child, etc). It can be hard to adjust to a major change and figuring out how to deal with that change can keep your brain busy for hours as you try to fall asleep. Sometimes you are stressed out—you might be having problems at work, maybe you are worried about money, whatever the reason, stress is a major factor in sleep problems and is the number one reason why most people can't sleep.

Here are some tips to help you over come your sleeping problems and get some rest.

1. Establish a regular “bedtime” routine. About an hour or so before you actually want to fall asleep, turn off the television, put down your book and start getting ready for bed. Have your last drink of water or tea (herbal of course), wash your face, brush your teeth, put on your pajamas, etc. Develop a nightly routine and make sure that you do this exact routine every night at the same time before you go to bed. Eventually your body's internal clock will take over and you will instinctually know that it is time to get ready for bed. By doing the same things every night, you are also training your body to associate those activities with sleeping so that, even if you aren't tired, when you do your nightly routine, your body will start to relax.

2. Stay away from caffeine and stimulant foods and drinks for a few hours before you go to bed. Instead drink herbal tea or warm milk to encourage the relaxation of your body. If you find that you are hungry, have a turkey sandwich. The tryptophan in the turkey will help you start to feel sleepy.

3. Stay way from stimulating activities right before bed. Keeping your brain busy until you need to sleep is the best way to ensure some tossing and turning.

Sleep problems plague most adults at one time or another and most people will admit that when they can't sleep they get stressed out. Try to relax and try these techniques. Hopefully you'll be sleeping like a baby in no time.

Difficulty Sleeping Tip #1

Caffeine is only your friend during the morning hours. Even though you might not think that caffeine affects you very much, it does play a big part in your body's ability to settle down and rest at the end of the day. If you must have coffee, switch to decaf after lunch. Caffeine can affect your body for up to eight hours. The longer it has to leave your system the less likely it is to affect your sleeping habits.

Difficulty Sleeping Tip #2

Exercise will not wear you out; it will actually pump you up. Exercise actually gives people energy. While you might feel tired immediately after a workout, your body will not sleep well if you try to do your workout right before bed. It is also bad for your body as a rule to go from lots of motion to staying still. This is why there are warm ups and cool downs before and after exercise workouts.

Difficulty Sleeping Tip #3

While many of us may fall asleep while watching television, if you are having sleeping problems, you want to give yourself at least an hour before going to bed that is television free. Television is a stimulant for your brain (even if the material is not particularly scholarly in content). Watching it right before bed keeps you awake and it takes a while for your brain to wind down after you turn the television off.