Got this article from smh.com.au and some of them I thought was rather new to me. I only managed to sleep at 4am last night and I wasn't sure why. Did a checklist of what I ate and did, but ccan't seem to point out the culprit. So, I reckon it was my dad who called me up just when I dozed off. Sigh.. anyway, I thought my mum would be interested as well. So, here's for you too, mum.
1. Eat little and often
Some insomniacs wake with a jolt at about 3am, when blood sugar is low and the body releases adrenaline. "Stabilise your blood sugars during the day by eating every three hours and keep to foods with a low glycaemic index — they take longer to digest," says nutritionist Dr Marilyn Glenville. "Before bed, have some hot chamomile tea and an oatcake."
2. A new mattress
Use a mattress that supports the body by distributing weight evenly. According to a Swedish study that monitored 23,000 sleepers over eight years, using a specialist mattress resulted in an 83% reduction in tossing and turning.
3. Turn off your mobile
Many people find chatting on mobile phones overstimulating, so switch yours off at 6pm or whenever you get home.
4. Change your breathing pattern
Deep breathing helps calm your mind and it produces relaxing endorphins, says hypnotherapist Georgia Foster. Draw air into your lungs for five seconds, hold for five seconds, release completely, and then hold your lungs empty for a further five seconds. Repeat three times.
5. Start brain-dumping
Keep a pen and paper beside your bed and write down your anxieties, so you don't have to lie awake worrying about them.
6. Eat a potato at bedtime
Starchy foods — such as potatoes and bananas — are full of chemicals called tryptophans that boost levels of serotonin, which promotes sleep.
7. Listen to the voices in your head
CDs are available to aid sleep, offering subliminal messages to send you off. They offer affirmations such as: "Sleep is natural. Sleep is effortless. Sleep is easy. Sleep is good."
8. Drink cherry juice
Tart cherries contain significant quantities of melatonin, the hormone needed for restful sleep.
9. Get into a routine
Going to bed and waking up at about the same times helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. Reading a book for 20 minutes can be used as a cornerstone of a peaceful night. Avoid long lie-ins on weekends.
10. Take a cold shower
Long, hot soaks before bed raise your body temperature at a time when it is naturally programmed to fall. Take a cooler bath or shower instead.
11. Skip the gym
Exercising after work increases body temperature and changes your rhythm, making you too alert.
12. Muscle in
If you are being woken by nocturnal muscle twitches, see your doctor or pharmacist for a remedy.
13. Declutter
According to the rules of feng shui, your bedroom should promote a harmonious flow of nourishing and sensual energy. So keep it clear of clutter, banish the TV, computer and fitness gear, and get rid of the boxes and suitcases that may be harbouring negative energy under the bed.
14. Paint it white
Colour therapists recommend that bedrooms be decorated in "skin" colours, from pale pink to rich brown; bright red walls, for example, are too stimulating.
15. Unplug the PlayStation
Teenagers seem to be able to cope with bright flashing screens before falling into bed, but adults seem to become overstimulated, causing their minds to race when they should be resting.
16. Warm feet
Cold feet can be a real sleep-killer. Thermal socks are an easy solution.
17. Try a snore cure
Your partner's snoring — or even your own — could be the root of your sleep problem. Nose-breather strips and drops to keep the throat open are available from pharmacies.
18. Observe the 20-minute rule
If you have been awake in bed for more than 20 minutes, get up and rest elsewhere. Do not return to bed until you feel sleepy.
19. Herbal tips
Valerian has long been associated with sleep. Failing that, there's always warm milk.
20. Onion sandwiches anyone?
The Romans ate onions to cure vision problems, heal dog bites, treat lumbago — and induce sleep.
