Staying awake throughout the night once in a while is perfectly normal. However, when a family member experiences extended periods of staying awake or frequent awakening, this could be a sign of insomnia. Lack of enough sleep greatly affects a person’s overall productivity and can even cause them to be in a bad mood throughout the day.

On average, adults need to get at least seven to nine hours of sleep every day to get fully rested. However, this number varies from one person to another. Aside from the hours needed to sleep, one should also concentrate on the quality of sleep. Getting enough and quality sleep is an effective way of keeping conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, depression, and obesity at bay.

Here are a few health remedies you may want to consider for your family member to deal with insomnia.

Regulating Light Exposure

According to research, it’s easier for someone to fall asleep in a dark room and stay asleep. This means you have to minimize the amount of light entering the room or used in the room. The best way to go about this is by using thick blinds for the windows. You can as well use a face mask to be sure you get it right. Regulating light exposure also involves avoiding watching TV, using your phone or any other device before going to bed. If you wake up at night, avoid checking your phone or turning on the overhead light. This way, you are able to fall back asleep much faster.

Exercise

Working out has numerous health benefits, one of which is getting rid of insomnia. Engaging in various physical activities can help improve your quality of sleep, in turn, dealing with insomnia. Be sure to tag your family member along to your workout sessions. Exercising releases endorphins which help you feel more energized and awake. Most people are encouraged to work out in the morning or late in the afternoon. It’s not recommended to exercise two hours before your bedtime. For those experiencing pain or muscle aches, a Chiropractor in Houston or your local area may help get you in shape.

Sleep Hygiene

Insomnia is often caused by lifestyle choices and poor sleep habits. To help your loved ones, you need to get them to practice better sleep hygiene and sleep habits. They should start by coming up with a regular sleep schedule every day. It’s not all about choosing a regular sleep time; they need to stick to it. Once they have a grip on their sleep time, they need to settle on a specific time to wake up. This way, the body is able to condition itself to sleep within the set time frame. You should also encourage them to avoid sleeping during the day; this way, when they go to bed at night, they are tired enough to drift off. Sleeping during the day can offset the balance achieved by practicing good sleeping habits.

Relaxation

One of the best ways to fall asleep fast is to prepare and gently ease yourself into bed. This can only be achieved when you are more relaxed. Advice your loved ones to get all their chores done on time – allowing them enough time to relax before going to bed. They also need to make their bedroom comfortable, relaxing, and calming for them to get quality sleep. Get them ready for bed by dimming the lights, getting rid of as much as possible, and lowering the temperature. They can as well use white noise machines to help soothe them to sleep. Once you set they set their alarm for the next day, it’s best to put the watches away. This way, they don’t get too anxious about sleep based on the time. Worrying about sleep can make it difficult to overcome their insomnia.

Nutrition

What you eat or drink before bed has a great influence on the quality of sleep you will receive. For this, you may need to consult with a nutritionist to help you develop a healthy diet just before bed. You should avoid eating big meals close to your bedtime. Keep in mind that consuming alcohol and caffeine towards your bedtime affects the quality of sleep and makes it difficult for you to fall asleep. However, you can drink a glass of warm milk or chamomile tea before bed. These beverages are known to help people fall asleep.

There are several remedies to choose from to deal with insomnia. However, it’s best to consult with your primary healthcare giver on the best practices to help your loved one get rid of insomnia.