Insomnia or sleeplessness for many nights at a stretch impacts the mental and physical health and should not be ignored.

Anyone who is sleep deprived knows how tough it is to get through the day. Without ample sleep, most of us can’t function normally. Sadly, one in three people today suffers from sleeplessness or insomnia.

For the most part, this can be blamed on long workdays, excessive stress, depression, and modern gadgets that blink blue light and beep all day.

Lack of sleep has many adverse consequences

But be warned that insomnia is bad for your health, and impacts more than your mood and energy level. It raises your risk to many diseases, from diabetes to heart disease, and even the common cold. So do tackle insomnia head-on, and get back into a restful sleeping mode. Read on, to check our 4 tips to restore your sleep cycle.

 #1 Relax your mind and body

Aim to go to bed at the same time every night. Turn the TV off an hour before sleep time.  Do note that following a regular sleep routine conditions your body, and improves the sleep cycle.  Before bedtime, indulge in a relaxation technique like yoga, meditation, or an aroma bath to recover from the day’s stress.

Also, get into soft, comfortable nightwear. And finally, ease your mind into the sleep mode by reading, writing in your diary to get your worries off your mind.

#2 Make your environment conducive to sleep
Make sure your bedroom has dim lighting, and is at the perfect temperature. Bear in mind that a too hot or too cold environment is a sleep killer. Also, do put away your laptop, mobile, and other electronic gadgets which emit bright light at bedtime.

These are proven to excite the neurons, and stop the secretion of melatonin, a hormone which induces sleep. So, get into a restful mood by listening to some soothing music instead.

#3 Surrender caffeine and alcohol
Alcohol and caffeine do disrupt with sleep patterns, so avoid heavy drinking. Also, stop downing those cups of coffee after 4 p.m. Instead, go for a cup of warm milk or chamomile tea at bedtime, to induce calm.

#4 Try some herbal remedies

Certain herbal products like valerian root, chamomile, passion flower and lemon balm are known to induce deep sleep. But before you rush out and buy some of these, do your homework on them. Also, check with your doctor about the safety of combining any herbal medicines with other medicines you may be on.

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