If you’re suffering from insomnia, you’re not alone. About one out of every three adults will experience insomnia at some time in their lives. In addition, between 10 and 15 percent of adults are afflicted by chronic insomnia. While insomnia is classified as a symptom rather than a sleep disorder, it can be serious enough to undesirably affect your alertness, energy level and mental acuity.

Insomnia is characterized by an inability to either fall asleep or remain asleep throughout the night. Experts say that if insomnia persists for more than three or four weeks, you should probably seek medical attention. But if you haven’t yet reached that point, there are several steps you can take to improve your chances of getting a good night’s sleep.

Relaxation Techniques

The first option you can attempt is “proactive relaxation.” This method involves taking an active role in preparing yourself to get restful sleep instead of just hoping you’ll be tired when bedtime rolls around. Practicing proactive relaxation may be a simple as listening to soothing music, taking a warm bath, or engaging in prayer or meditation before bedtime.

In addition, there are various breathing exercises you can perform while in bed right before or just after you turn out the light. Such a regimen can lower your blood pressure and heart rate, which will enable your body to relax. You can also try progressive muscle relaxation, which involves alternating between flexing and relaxing individual muscles and then focusing on the release of tension. This helps your body get rid of any physical stress or strain in preparation for slumber.

You can also use your mind to relax your body through cognitive therapy. This approach utilizes techniques such as visualization or meditation to achieve mental relaxation. Cognitive therapy can be learned through face-to-face counseling or in a group session. If you want to manage your whole body in an effort to relax, consider biofeedback training to control your parasympathetic nervous system. This practice involves using medical instruments to measure various bodily processes and then employing proactive relaxation or cognitive therapy. Those who are skilled in biofeedback can actually alter their bodies’ internal functions in order to achieve restful sleep.

Lifestyle Changes

There are also certain lifestyle changes you can make to manage insomnia. Getting regular exercise can help train your body to differentiate between active and restful time periods within a given day. About 20 to 30 minutes of daily exercise is recommended, but it should not be completed close to bedtime.

Another strategy is to avoid eating large meals right before it is time to go to sleep. Your body’s natural digestive procedures may keep it in “work” mode instead of letting it sink into “rest” mode. You should also try to minimize or avoid alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine – especially in the afternoon and evening hours. These substances can wreak havoc on a variety of bodily processes and have a significant effect on your ability to fall asleep.

Alternate Methods

If you want to try a different method, you might be able to “trick” yourself into becoming sleepy. One way to do this is to temporarily “succumb” to insomnia and actually restrict your sleep schedule. If you stay up later or wake up earlier than usual for a day or two, your body may naturally yearn for the sleep that you are making it go without. Ideally, when you return to your regular sleep schedule, your sleep-deprived body will permit you to fall asleep easily.

Another so-called trick is known as “light therapy.” Because our bodies are naturally trained to be active during daylight, you may want to go outside in the evenings for about a half hour before it gets dark. This may help your body distinguish between the times when it should be awake and asleep. Light therapy can also be practiced with a medical-grade light box.

Insomnia Medication

If your insomnia persists despite your best efforts to banish it, you might find relief from certain medications. Various over-the-counter drugs, as well as prescription medications such as Ambien, Lunesta, Ativan, and Halcion, are designed to make you feel sleepy; but physicians generally discourage their use for longer than a few weeks. Some doctors have found longer-term success in treating insomnia by prescribing melatonin, Rozerem, or antidepressants.

Before opting for pills, be sure that you do not have any allergic reactions to these medicines, or that any other drugs you are taking will adversely react with the sleep medications and cause illness or other health problems.

Insomnia can be annoying and frustrating, but you don’t have to resolve yourself to a lifetime of sleepless nights. You should make an effort to address the underlying causes of your insomnia and work toward regaining a good night’s rest. Because if you don’t get your seven or eight hours of sleep per night, it can have an adverse effect on your mood, productivity, health, and interpersonal relationships. So stop ignoring insomnia before it gets out of hand.