7 simple things you can do to fight sleep apnea and sleep better
If you have a problem sleeping, you are not alone. The National Institutes of Health say that 10 to 15 of older adults experience at least one symptom of insomnia a few times per week.
There are two ways to cope with insomnia -- one is a series of sayings you can do it yourself. The other requires me help of a trained therapist and is called cognitive -- behavioral therapy for insomnia or see CBT-I.
Things you can do yourself
Here are eight things you can try before you seek the services of the therapist.
1. Don't live in your bedroom. Use it only for sleeping and sex, not reading or watching TV. This helps condition your mind to the fact that when you go too bed it's to sleep.
2. Be sure to stay in the dark. You can be kept awake by just the light from an LED clock. Either convert your eyes with a mask or pull your shades tight. If you do wake up at night and need a light, make sure it's a dim one.
3. Eat a bit. You don't want to need a heavy meal before going to bed, but hunger can keep you awake. So, try munching on HQ crackers, peanuts, or a couple of cookies before bedtime.
4. Make your bedding soft. Use an especially fluffy pillow for a cushy comforter as this can go a long way towards helping you sleep soundly.
5. Try for 20 minutes and then go into another room. If you are still tossing and turning after 20 minutes, get up and go into another room and do something quiet and boring such as reading a bad book or an instruction manual.
6. Don't nap. Sleeping during the day can easily rob you of sleep at night.
7. Sleep to a schedule. You should sleep and rise at the same time every day – even on weekends. It doesn’t matter whether you’re an early bird or a night owl. Just make and keep to a schedule.
Try these tips and, chances are, you’ll sleep better and feel better.
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About the Author
Douglas Hanna is a retired advertising and marketing executive who lives in Colorado. He is the author or more than 180 articles on a variety of subjects but with an emphasis on health- related topics.
