by John Hasenkam

Created on: November 09, 2008   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

In the fast paced life we live it is very easy to fall into habits which can reduce both the quality and duration of our sleep. If we are serious about maintaining our health then we must make sure we establish habits which ensure that we sleep well. We may be tempted to use sleeping pills and while sleeping pills can be very useful sustained use tends to induce tolerance. Sleeping pills should be a last resort. Before resorting to sleeping pills the following ideas are worth considering.

Set your Circadian Clock.

Circadian Rhythms are intrinsic physiological processes that impact nearly all our bodily functions. There are a number of "clocks" in our body but it is generally believed that the central clock in the brain acts as a master clock for our bodies. This master clock can be reset by early morning exposure to sunlight. So wherever possible try and find some sunlight exposure in the early morning, preferably without sunglasses. If you wake up in the middle of the night avoid too much bright light as this may also upset your circadian rhythms.

Avoid stimulants like coffee and tea after sunset.

Caffeine is a stimulant that can seriously disrupt our sleep cycle. The caffeine in a cup of tea or coffee can remain in our bloodstream for up to 5 hours so if you having trouble sleeping avoiding caffeine containing drinks in the evening is very important.

Having a "winding down" time before sleeping

It is tempting to keep on working and then immediately go to bed. For some people this can lead to difficulty with sleeping so make sure allow yourself one half to one hour of winding down time before going to bed.

The bedroom is for sleeping.

Our sleep can be affected by our environment. Where possible the bedroom should not be used for work or study.

Use a sleep mask and ear plugs.

A sleep mask prevents ambient light penetrating our eyelids and so disrupting our sleep. Many of us live in not so quiet environments. I have found both sleep masks and ear plugs allow me a great night's sleep that is uninterrupted and very refreshing.

Regular exercise.

Apart from the obvious health benefits, regular exercise can greatly aid a good night's sleep. However don't exercise near bed time as exercise elevates body temperature and this can impede falling asleep.

When all else fails, try sleeping pills.

If chronic insomnia plagues your life and you have tried all of the above then obtain some sleeping pills. Over the counter sleeping pills are typically anti-histamines and we can very quickly become tolerant of the same. Prescription sleeping pills are much better but sustained use of these can also induce tolerance. In the absence of any serious pathology it should be possible to develop habits which promote sound sleep but there are times when we may need to use sleeping pills. However never use these as a substitute for developing habits that facilitate getting to sleep.

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