by Lynda Mc Donald

Created on: July 28, 2009

Even though it is a necessity in our lives, some unfortunate souls are constantly finding it a challenge to get to sleep at night. The main way to overcome this problem is by getting into a routine before bedtime. When your body gets used to this routine, it will automatically get ready to sleep.

Deciding what your nightly routine will involve is important. The most important thing you are setting out to do is to relax both your mind and body. If you are stressed out by something, taking a few minutes to write about it in a diary or journal can help to relieve stress.

Having a warm bath, or a shower if you don't have the time, is proven to help your muscles relax. Using relaxing bath oils such as lavender can help ease you into sleep later.

Drinking a warm glass of milk, or alternatively a cup of camomile tea can help to make you relax. Avoid drinking regular tea or coffee or carbonated drinks before bed as the caffeine and sugar they contain will perk you up instead of relaxing you.

When you are ready for bed, either dim the lights or switch them off. Remove any phones or other distracting devices from the room, or turn them off. Turn off any TVs or computers in the room. If you need an alarm clock to wake you in the morning, leave it in the room, but place it somewhere you can't see while your in bed; constant clock-watching can cause stress and lead to lack of sleep.

If it is cold, have a hot-water bottle or electric blanket to warm you. You might have noticed that it is especially hard to sleep when your feet are cold, which indicates bad blood circulation, wearing socks to bed while you are relaxing before you sleep can remedy this. Refrain from closing all windows and doors in the room, keeping a door open increases air circulation and keeps the room from becoming stuffy, which can cause you to wake during the night.

Some people find it very beneficial to listen to sleep-aiding CDs, which are usually comprised of sounds from nature or soft instrumental music. If you do chose to have music playing, have the volume turned down very low to keep it in the background.

Having a bag of lavender hung over your bed, or under your pillow is also proven to help you relax and sleep.

Finding the routine that fits you might take some changes, but keeping your routine in place can be really difficult. Just keep reminding yourself how vital sleep is and how much having a routine will benefit you.

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