5 Useful Tips to Overcome Insomnia and Get a Good Night's Sleep

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Insomnia can be caused by lots of different things. For most of us, it doesn't happen very often but even the occasional sleepless night can cause major disruption in our regular life. So what can be done to overcome insomnia?

1. Cut down on the caffeine

In moderation, caffeine is good at helping us to concentrate and stay awake. But too much coffee and cola can keep your body too active. Because caffeine is addictive, cut down gradually otherwise you run the risk of headaches and other side effects. Cut down "backwards" through the day - cutting out the latest time coffee intake first.

2. Go to bed at a regular time

Our bodies like routine. If you're going to bed at 10pm one night then 3am the next, and so on, then your body will get confused. Keep a reasonably regular bedtime to give your body a chance.

3. Give your brain time to unwind

If you're working on that project until a couple of minutes before you go to bed, your brain will be working on it for an hour or two longer. It doesn't have an on/off switch like a computer - your brain will keep you awake if you don't give it chance to slow down before you go to sleep.

4. Learn to relax

Sure, this is easier said than done at times. But relaxation is a skill you can learn just like any other. Everyone is different on this - take the time to work out what helps you to relax and practice that relaxation for a few minutes before you retire to bed.

5. Check your room temperature

We all have an optimum sleeping temperature. If your bedroom is too warm or too cold, this could be causing some of your insomnia problem. This is especially true "between seasons" where the winter duvet kept you warm at night but now cooks you instead.