1. Make your bed as comfortable as possible. Experiment with what works best for you, be it a feather bed, waterbed, bed of lettuce, whatever.
2. Choose a position conducive to sleep. This is often the position you find yourself waking up in. If your sleeping partner is the source of your insomnia (as he/she often is), asking him/her sleep in the garage isn't a viable option. Rather, if he/she kicks or snores, think of buying a bigger bed or earplugs. If he/she makes many toilet trips during the night, situate him/her on the side of the bed closer to the bathroom.
3. Get rid of the large, luminous clock staring at you. It not only produces distracting light, it is a stressful reminder that you're not sleeping. The act of worrying about sleep is, in itself, enough to keep you awake.
4. Control the amount of light in your bedroom. Excessive brightness not only affects your eyes, but it also influences the hormone production that helps to establish a healthy sleep cycle. Wear a sleep mask if necessary.
5. When it comes to noise, many people find repetitive sounds easier to sleep through than intermittent and abrupt ones. Ear plugs or a continuous background sound such as a fan can help mask disturbing noise. Another option to consider is a white noise machine.
6. Control the thermostat. Temperature extremes, whether too hot or too cold, are no fun for the light sleeper.
SoYouWanna know more? Check out our full-length article SYW cure your insomnia?
