I have been having sleep difficulties for nearlly a year now, I have even been to see a doctor to be told im suffering from Insomnia - state the obvious!

What is insomnia?
Insomnia is when you constantly on a regular basis either have trouble getting to sleep, staying asleep or getting good quality sleep. According to medical information if this happens constantly for a long period of time it is classed as Chronic insomnia.

What Causes it?
People get Insomnia for all sorts of reasons, medically they say that the majority is caused by stress and worry. However there is no way that I am stressed and worried all the time. It is also stated that different medications or illness can also cause insomnia.

It has been nearlly a year now that I have had insomnia, I dont suffer from it every day but more often that not I will be affected once a week - this causes a problem with every day life, being tired for work etc.

I have tried various things to help me get to sleep on a night, some have worked and many have not.

Hints and Tips on things to help you sleep:-

See a Doctor -
I did this and the doctor gave me some Tamazapan that is used short term for Insomnia, the doctor advised me not to take many as can be addictive - straight away this put me off, so I haven't used them but do still have them as a back up!
Over the counter remedies are worth a try, one thing that personally works for me occasionally is Bahts sleep right remedies. You just put a few drops on your tongue and it is supposed to relax you.

Take a warm bath-
There is nothing more relaxing than taking a warm bath before bed, red hot water isnt relaxing so just a nice warm bath. I use Lavander bubble bath and the scent really helps to relax me.

Drink Hot Chocolate or Warm Milk -
You hear about it in storys and in traditions that a cup of warm cocoa helps you sleep! So I tried the hot chocolate solution, didnt really do much for me on the sleep front but did relax me, so worth a try.

Bedtime snack -
Some times when you go to bed you are hungry and don't realise it, this causes insomnia - so when you have a hot chocolate or a herbal tea try having a couple of cookies with it, works a treat.

Get a massage -
Not so easy to do, but if you have a nice partner who might give you a massgae give it a go, its a great form of relaxation.

Sleep with a window open -
I have found over the months one of the main reasons I struggle to sleep is because I'm hot.
Having a window open and the bedroom door slightly open makes the room more well ventilated which makes the room cooler and easier to sleep in.

Earplugs -
I have only used these on certain occasions as I find them uncomfortable, however they are a vey successful as helping me to sleep, blocking any noise out from breathing of others to noise in the distance and then the only thing I am aware of is my own breathing which I find relaxing.

There are many ways that people use that help them to sleep, I have even asked myself if my sleep difficulties have become a habbit! I now found that the only way i can fall asleep is by lying on my back despite being all cosy all curled up.
Another thing I do is deep breathing, they say to try and blank out your mind so what I do is concentrate on my own breathing, make that the only thing that i can hear.
Darkness helps, I have changed my luminated alarm clock to one that isnt as I found light it one of the things that distraced my sleep.

What ever it takes to get a good nights sleep I will try it, I have found lately that I am getting more sleep than before and that the dark eyes are slowly dissapearing, but its those random nights when I still lie awake at four in the morning that I find frustrating!

My one final tip is, if you have been lying in bed for a long time then get up! Even if its for half an hour to an hour, get out of bed, head to a differet room and have a miky drink or a piece of toast or try reading something thats not too interesting, all of these will relax the body and tire them and when you get back into bed the sheets are nice and cold again and I find I am able to drop of to sleep!

I hope my tips are useful for some people... And good luck getting a good nights sleep!