10 Methods You Can Use Today to Fight Insomnia, by Joe Alexander, owner, Nest Bedding and www.NestBedding.com


1. Drink Warm Organic Milk - Drinking warm milk 15 minutes before bed has been known to soothe your nervous system.

2. Take a Warm Bath - Taking a warm bath can be a great way to relax your body. Don't exhaust it however. Staying too long in hot water can drain your body of vitality. Throw in a cup of baking soda or bath salts to drive the toxins out of your body.

3. Eat a small Bedtime Snack - Foods with large amounts of the amino acid L-tryptophan helps us sleep better, according to a study. This includes eggs, cottage cheese, chicken, turkey, cashews and warm milk as I talked about before.

4. Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol and Tobacco in General - Most people think coffee is the only beverage which contains caffeine. Wrong. Non-herbal tea such as black tea, Cola beverages and even chocolate are high in caffeine. Research has shown that alcohol upsets sleep. This is the same with Tobacco.

5. Sleep on Your Back - Some people sleep the opposite way. Sleeping on your stomach causes pressure on all of your internal organs. This can also cause a stiff neck. Try sleeping on Your Back. It is the best sleeping position to allow your internal organs to rest properly. If you are used to sleeping on your side though, sleep on your right side and not your left. I cannot stress enough how bad it is to sleep on your stomach. In my experience, when you have a bad mattress, you end up on your stomach trying to get comfortable. Yes, you know I am going to suggest getting rid of your old metal spring mattress that causes pressure points and slow down blood flow, preventing us from getting proper rest.

6. Sleep in a Well Ventilated Room -  A room temperature between 60-65 degrees in Fahrenheit is the optimum temperature for sleeping. Use more or fewer blankets to adjust your body to the room temperature.

7. Drink Herb Tea - If you have to avoid drinking Warm milk or any other dairy products, try a cup of herb tea (camomile, catnip, anise or fennel tea). This will help you sleep better. Don’t forget that we have our very own Nest Sleep Teas, specially blended to help you rest.

8. Get Some Exercise During The Day - White collar workers (office workers, non-manual workers) are more known to have insomnia than blue-collar workers, who get physical exercise during their work. 15 Minutes of exercise or at least 30 minutes before going to bed will give your body work and oxygen it needs to get your body to relax and sleep better.

9. Avoid Naps - Skip naps if you take them. If you can't get yourself to sleep at night, naps will stop you from sleeping properly. By skipping naps your body will be tired to fall asleep at night.

10. A Reflexology Technique : Toe Wiggling - Lie on your back, and wiggle your toes up and down for about 12 times. This will relax your body, both inside and out. "Meridians" are channels of energy treated by acupuncture. The meridians in your feet connect with every organ and every part of your body. Toe wiggling helps to bring about a relaxing energy within your body.

Now there they are, 10 ways to fight insomnia. Have a good night's sleep!