Insomnia drug treatments via prescription medicines often have potentially serious drawbacks. Either they are addictive or tolerance-forming, meaning you'll need bigger and bigger doses as time goes on.
For short-term insomnia the most effective cures often invove simple change in lifestyle, consumption of food and drinks or a just simple home remedy. This article outlines 5 effective and simple treatments for insomnia symptoms which do not involve drugs.
Treatment #1 - Eating And Drinking
The types of food that you consume, especially later in the day, can have a huge influence on getting to sleep. Treating insomnia can really often be as easy as avoiding those foods which contain excessive protein or complex (processed) sugars in the hours before bed.
Carbohydrate based foods can instead have a beneficial effect on falling asleep quickly. Drinks which contain caffeine should be avoided in the evenings for anyone with sleeping problems, cutting back on coffee and caffeine containing sodas (such as colas) in the afternoon should also be involved in the treatments of ongoing insomnia.
Treatment #2 - Sleeping Environment
Curing insomnia symptoms should begin in bed! Small changes to your sleeping environment will actually make a very large difference in the quality of your sleep.
Firstly, you should ensure that you have plenty of room for natural tosses and turns in the night. Blockages are a very common cause of night-time disturbances. Materials of your bedding and a firm pillow are also beneficial.
Finally, the room's temperature - both when you go to bed and abrupt changes in nightime temperature - can have a major effect on sleep. In particular you should make sure there are no drafts or sudden increases in temperature during the night.
Treatment #3 - Keep A Sleeping Diary
This drug-free insomnia treatment actually has a dual aspect. The central idea is that by entering all of the important facts about your pre-sleep routine and then 'quality scoring' each night can help you to identify patterns and behaviors which are inhibiting sound sleep.
Secondly, the very fact that you are keeping a diary makes it less likely that insomnia inducing behavior will be undertaken in the first place - it is your own awareness of the issue ensuring that you think about each behavior before it is made.
Treatment #4 - Mental Exercises And Relaxation
Distracting your thoughts and 'busy mind' can be a great way of falling asleep for those who are kept awake by stress, anxiety or worry. The idea actually dates back to the infamous 'counting sheep' method, and now includes many variations - including imagining restful scenarios and even meditation.
Relaxation combines mental focus with the tensing and relaxing of muscle groups starting at the feet and working up. This feels great in addition to preventing unwanted worry - an excellent non-drug insomnia treatment.
Treatment #5 - Noise To Mask Noise
Unwanted noise is a major reason for the symptoms of insomnia. This can include any unavoidable noises such as those from the road outside or from a busy family with different sleeping times.
Ear plugs do work, however many people find these uncomfortable and obtrusive. A popular drug-free treatment for insomnia is to mask unwanted noises with either 'white noise' (for example from a fan) or specially designed CDs which mimic the brain-waves responsible for sleep.
For comprehensive yet clearly written guides to common sleep disorders and the most effective treatments, check our the quality articles at: Insomnia Treatments Information
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