Here are few measures that may help you to promote sleep.
1. Wake up at the same time each day.
2. Discontinue caffeine intake four to six hours before bedtime and minimize total daily use. Caffeine is a
stimulant and may disrupt sleep.
3. Avoid nicotine, especially near bedtime and on night awakenings. It is also a stimulant.
4. Avoid the use of alcohol in the late evening to facilitate sleep onset. Alcohol can cause awakening later
in the night.
5. Avoid heavy meals too close to bedtime, since this may interfere with sleep. A light snack may be
sleep-inducing.
6. Regular exercise in the late afternoon may deepen sleep. Vigorous exercise within three to four hours of
bedtime may interfere with sleep.
7. Minimize noise, light and excessive temperatures during the sleep period.
8. Move the alarm clock away from the bed if it is a source of distraction.
There are many other types of treatments other than medicines. These include Behavioral Therapy, Sleep
Restriction Therapy, Stimulus Control Therapy and Cognitive Therapy. All these can achieve the desired results
without medications, and can be performed by an experienced psychologist.
There are other medicines too, that may be tried by your doctor for helping you sleep, but these are likely to
be of temporary benefit if you do not follow the steps mentioned above.
