Natural Cures for Insomnia

Whether short-term or chronic, insomnia can be a truly aggravating experience. Many people dislike using sleeping pills as a cure, either because they don't like the side effects or because they are taking other medications that do not react well with the pills. Though you should always speak with your doctor about any medical problem, the Mayo Clinic recommends a number of alternate techniques to cure insomnia without resorting to medication.

Set Schedule

One of the best habitual cures for insomnia is simply to go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends.

Bedroom Equals Sleep

Avoid using your bedroom for any activity other than sleep and lovemaking. The association will increase your drowsiness on a psychosomatic level.

Relax

If you find yourself tossing and turning for more than fifteen minutes, get out of bed and do something relaxing. Reading a book or watching TV will take your mind off of the effort of sleeping.

Avoid Caffeine and Nicotine

Caffeinated beverages will keep you awake, as will nicotine. Don't take them within six hours of your intended bed time.

Don't Nap

Napping can throw off your internal clock and make it harder to get to sleep at night. Power through any afternoon drowsiness and maintain a set sleep schedule.