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If you struggle with conditions that affect your sleep, you may have more options than you realize for improving your sleep. Many types of therapy can be done on your own with limited guidance from your doctor or therapist. Even if you have a medical condition that’s affecting your sleep, there are things you can do to help yourself sleep better throughout the night.

Stimulus Control Therapy

Your bedroom should be reserved for specific activities, such as sleep, dressing, and sexual activity. Spending more time in your bedroom can condition your brain to associate this part of your home with daytime activities, and that can lead to insomnia and other sleep difficulties. Stimulus control therapy restricts the time you spend in your bedroom and restricts what you do in your room. By scheduling shorter bedtimes, you’ll be ensuring that you will be tired when you do go to bed. This will help you retrain your brain to associate your bedroom with sleep. As you increase your sleep periods back to eight hours, you’ll find that it’s easier to fall asleep and sleep throughout the night.

Relaxation Training

Preparing for bedtime should include a ritual that you follow every night. By following the same process on a consistent basis, you’ll help to train your brain to know when it’s time for sleep. This is an important strategy in that it will help your brain to better regulate the hormones that produce sleepiness. This is a two step process that starts with putting away anything that stimulates the mind. In addition to eliminating evening caffeine consumption, you should also put away your mobile devices one hour before bed. Instead, use this time to read a book, take a warm bath, or meditate. You can make these activities more soothing by playing soft music in the background or lighting aromatherapy candles. Once you complete this activity, you should go directly to bed.

Regulating the Circadian Rhythm

Living in the modern world exposes our senses to stimuli in almost every situation. Regardless of the time of day or night, there are sources of artificial light that can confuse or disrupt the brain’s circadian rhythm. This is the biological clock that regulates sleep and wakefulness in addition to controlling a variety of other biological functions. When artificial light or the artificial darkness of an indoor environment disrupts this process, the brain will fail to send out sleep hormones at the correct time. Fortunately, it’s easy to correct your circadian rhythm. The best way is to spend at least one hour exercising outdoors in the morning when the sun is bright. You can also go for a walk in the evening to reinforce your brain’s understanding of the changing of day into night.

Practicing Healthier Sleep Hygiene

There may be physical problems that are affecting your sleep, so you should address those issues first. For example, pain in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) can keep you awake as you struggle to find a position in which the discomfort is alleviated. It’s better to receive TMJ treatment in Raleigh NC that can alleviate the condition without requiring surgery. A similar problem is bruxism, which involves the involuntary grinding of the teeth. Your dentist can provide you with a customized fitting to wear over your teeth to protect against this habit. You should also watch your intake of caffeine since the stimulant can adversely affect your ability to sleep. As a general rule, you should have your last caffeinated beverage six hours before your bedtime. This will give that last amount of caffeine time to work its way through your system.

Conclusion

If you suffer from sleep problems or feel as though you’re not getting enough rest, you should consult your doctor. You can undergo tests to determine if you suffer from insomnia, sleep apnea, or other medical conditions that are interrupting your sleep cycle. Getting that diagnosis can help you determine how to treat your condition naturally.