by Elizabeth Farrell

Created on: January 17, 2007   Last Updated: September 13, 2010

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that can affect people of all ages. It can vary from chronic insomnia which lasts several months or even years, to transient insomnia which can last a few days or weeks and is usually connected with a stressful event. But whatever the severity, insomnia can make life depressing and miserable for those who suffer from it.

To get to the root of how to treat insomnia, a person should first know the common causes, which are:

states of mind - anxiety, depression, worry, anger, grief, worrying about a difficult event
change - such as moving to another house or city
environment - noise,lighting,discomfort, time zone change
pain - which is one of the most common causes
medical conditions - heart, breathing and digestive problems, high blood pressure, arthritis, fibromyalgia
recreational drugs - cocaine, amphetamines
other prescription drugs - including diuretics, diet pills and stimulants

But keep in mind that there many unknown causes for insomnia. So what can a person do about it? There is actually a great deal that one can do and often all it takes are some fairly minor changes to your sleep routine and environment.

First, and very importantly, make sure that your bedroom is as conducive to sleep as possible. This means having a bed that is comfortable for you and sleeping in a room that has good ventilation and that is the right temperature, neither too warm or too cold. Your bed should only be for sleeping (or sex) and so you shouldn't watch television, read, work on the laptop or any other activity in bed. You want your mind to equate the bed with rest and sleep.

Try to keep your bedroom as dark as possible. This means avoiding the use of illuminated clocks and night lights. If you absolutely need the illuminated clock then at least turn it away from the bed while sleeping.

Do not watch television or use the computer at least an hour before going to bed. This is because the light and images from the television and from computer monitors can be stimulating to the brain and make it harder to fall asleep.

Avoid caffeine, alcohol and tobacco. Some people think that a drink before bed will help them sleep but alcohol actually disrupts the sleep cycle, preventing a deep rest, as does tobacco. As for caffeine, remember that coffee isn't the only thing that contains this; also black tea, cola drinks and chocolate.

Avoid naps because they can also disrupt your night time sleep cycle and make it harder to fall asleep at night.

Keep regular

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