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When poor sleep quality itself is the major problem, medications can be prescribed short-term to relieve symptoms. Insomnia weakens the immune system, and also impacts upon our ability to think clearly and function well. Good quality sleep is vital for a healthy body and mind and for emotional wellbeing. Some excellent tips for curing from sleeplessness and insomnia are as follows: - Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol in the late afternoon and evening. Caffeine and nicotine can delay your sleep, and alcohol may interrupt your sleep later in the night.
- If you have trouble sleeping when you go to bed, don't nap during the day, since it affects your ability to sleep at night.
- Exercise regularly, but do so at least three hours before bed-time. A workout after that time may actually keep you awake because your body has not had a chance to cool down. Exercise should precede meals, not immediately follow them; the first promotes, the latter, unless moderate, obstructs digestion.
- Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine that will allow you to unwind and send a "signal" to your brain that it's time to sleep. Avoiding exposure to bright light before bedtime and taking a hot bath may help.
- Taking a warm bath or drinking a glass of warm milk (milk contains a chemical that is converted to a sleep-enhancing compound in the brain) before bedtime.
- It is often possible to break the cycle of insomnia by deliberately staying awake for an entire night.
- Medicines may be prescribed when the cause of insomnia includes a particularly stressful situation (a bereavement or the loss of a job, for example) or pain from some physical condition.
- Sleep hygiene measures are simple actions that address sleep habits and factors that may keep you from good sleep. For example, keep regular bedtimes and wake times-7 days a week-and try to avoid taking naps during the day.
- Hypnotic medications help you fall asleep or stay asleep. Antidepressants that have a calming or sedative effect can be used to aid sleep.
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