I use to lay awake at night wondering how I could induce sleep! Honestly; I did, it was no joke.
In fact I got to the stage where I really didn't look forward to the end of the day as I knew that that was when the battle would begin.
Sleep
So I set to and made it my mission to discover ways to help me get some decent shut-eye.
I've tried all of the following to varying degrees of success. The last one is the remedy I've stayed with as it works the best for me, but we're all different so try them all & see what works best for you. I hope you discover 1 that does.
1. Instigate a bedtime routine- such as always going to bed at the same time (even if you don't feel sleepy). Remember it takes 2 weeks for a behaviour pattern to become a habit so don't give up after a few nights if nothing seems to be happening any differently.
2. Old fashioned, I know, but it can work. Always have a warm milky drink before you go to bed. This is scientifically proven to help induce sleep.
3. Pay attention to where you sleep. Is it too light for you even with curtains drawn? Consider buying curtains or blinds with a 'blackout' fabric as a lining. They are easily available, not too expensive and are fantastic to use if you're a shift worker & have to sleep during the day.
4. Try not to eat anything after 8pm at night. This means that your body won't be digesting (and therefore working) during the night when you're trying to sleep. It's just 1 less thing for your body to cope with.
5. Try & relax. Easier said than done, I know. Try to have some SSS ( silence,solitary,stillness) time to yourself. During anytime of the day would be helpful, but especially at night just before you want to get to sleep.
6. If necessary, decide to sleep in the spare room (if you have one) if you normally sleep with a partner. Sometimes the stress of thinking you're keeping someone else awake because you can't sleep acts as a vicious circle and just gets you more stressed out.
7. Try some over the counter herbal/natural remedies. If they don't work for you at least they won't have had any unpleasant side effects & you can stop taking them instantly. You don't have to wean yourself off them. ( Remember to try them for at least 2 weeks though)
8. Try; if possible, to sleep when you feel tired- even if it seems unsociable. At least sleep when you can & then try some of the above ideas once you're not so fractious.
9. Try holistic treatments such as reflexology, Acupuncture or massage. These work on the mind, body & spirit and may very well get to the root of the problem without needless medication.
10. Last but not least & my favourite. Use binaural beats to lower your brain frequencies in minutes to instil quick & healthy sleep patterns. Basically they are low delta frequencies; totally harmless, just relaxing and natural (your brain already produces them!) Your brain is directly responsible for sleep & it's when there's too much inner chatter and busyness going on that sleep seems unobtainable. We just don't switch off. Listening to these frequencies has been a life-saver for me & they've given me my life back as I can now function again & no longer have to worry about how to induce sleep.
How To Induce Sleep - 10 Ideas
To find out more about what worked for me and could work for you too. Visit my website http://www.youramazingmind.blogspot.com/