Learning About Diagnosing Common Health Problems

Posted on: 15 December 2014

Have you been having problems with going to sleep at night? If so, you may have a sleep disorder. Your insomnia may also be induced by things you are doing throughout the day. Some people may require medications to get to sleep, but you may be a person who could see improvement in your sleep pattern by making some changes in your daily routine. Read on to get a few ideas that could help you. 

Reduce anxiety.

Some people find it hard to get to sleep when they have things on their mind. If you find it hard to fall asleep due to your mind concentrating on future events, you could benefit from journaling your thoughts before bedtime. If the worries are usually attached to getting things done the following day, consider writing out to-do lists in advance, or create a schedule, and follow it.  

Limit activities and foods that energize you. 

People who have difficulty falling asleep at night may find themselves tired during the day. This may prompt them to take naps. The issue is that these naps may be the culprit for you not being able to sleep at night. If you must take a nap due to being tired, do not rest for over an hour. 

Perhaps you are a person who exercises regularly. Some people get energized from their workouts. If this is the case for you, reserve your exercise time earlier in the day. This will allow you time to burn off some of the energy. 

Foods and drink containing caffeine may give you bursts of energy. You may consume them during the day due to you not getting enough sleep at night. Beware of energy drinks. Some of them supposedly do not contain caffeine, but they contain other energy boosters such as guarana. The effects are similar to those of caffeine. 

Consider using white noise.

Perhaps you have noticed that you can fall asleep if a fan or similar device is on in your home. This is an indicator that you find white noise soothing. Of course having a fan on year-round is not ideal for all climates. You can buy CDs with white noise recordings, and there are also apps available. 

There are also some websites that feature white noise sound effects that play continuously. If the light from the your screen bothers you when you are trying to get to sleep, consider dimming your monitor if you have a laptop. Turn it off if you have a desktop computer. You should still be able to hear the sound. 

A doctor at places like Billings Clinic is a good resource to use if you are concerned about your sleep pattern. There are tests that can be performed to determine if you have a sleep disorder. Based on the outcome of the tests, doctors can determine the best course of treatment for patients.