15 Tips for better sleep

Who out there has trouble getting to sleep??  I had really bad insomnia issues for over 10 years and I did a lot of researching to try to find ways to get myself to fall asleep and stay asleep without the use of prescription drugs or over the counter medicine.  I have been doing so much better, so I wanted to share some of the things that help me just in case there are any people out there having the same problems I was.

1. Keep a regular sleep schedule- try to go to bed and wake up around the same time every day
2. Limit beverage consumption before bed- otherwise you are going to wake up running to the bathroom to pee every couple hours
3. Exercise regularly- if your body hasn't exerted enough energy than it's harder to relax
4. Keep the room cool enough- somewhere between 65-72 degrees is best
5. Avoid caffeine for 6 hours before you plan to go to bed
6. Do not leave your tv or radio on- try to keep the room as quiet as possible
7. Take a warm shower- the warm water helps to soothe your muscles
8. Avoid taking naps for longer than 30 minutes during the day
9. Don't oversleep on the weekends- I know it can be tempting because it's the weekend and it's time to relax but it WILL throw off your schedule
10. Go to bed in comfortable clothes (or none at all, if you prefer)- Sure that nighty is really cute, but sleeping in it isn't the comfiest thing in the world, is it?
11. Don't go to bed on an empty stomach, but also don't go to bed with an over-stuffed stomach
12. Invest in a comfortable mattress, soft sheets, and a comfortable pillow
13. Keep your room dark- your body is programmed to see light and automatically start to wake up
14. Don't use computer, ipad, cellphone, whatever for 90 minutes before bedtime.  The light stimulates your mind and keeps you awake
15. Keep animals off of the bed- I know they are sooo cute and you feel bad, but every move they make during the night could potentially wake you up too and that's no good

If you think the reason that you aren't sleeping is more stress or anxiety related, I have a few more tips for you. Since my insomnia was almost entirely due to my anxiety issues, I also do a few more things before bed almost every night.  I make myself some hot no-caffeine herbal tea. I also use a soft lavender/vanilla scent in the room because it has been known for calming effects.  I force myself to clear my mind of all of the garbage rolling around in there (this is the hardest one!).  Then I focus on my breathing techniques, which is also really great for calming stress and anxiety.