Insomnia affects millions around the world. Sleep is fundamental to every human being for a healthy way of life. Without regular sleep, people are not able to function properly. Some may only need a few hours of sleep a night, but most generally need a minimum of eight hours to function properly during the day, without which their health, life, work and relationships suffer. There are many ways to combat insomnia:



* What you eat during the day for breakfast, lunch or dinner could be the cause of insomnia. Change your diet to include food that helps the body relax and fall asleep, such as lemons, whole grain breads, and milk. Milk, in particular, once heated is quite effective, as it releases a chemical called tryptophan that relaxes the body and helps you sleep.

* Drinking herbal tea before bed is also said to have a soothing effect on the body.

* Try waking up earlier in the morning in order to force your body's internal clock to adjust. With this shortened sleep schedule, you will tire earlier at night so that you are ready to hit the sack by your regular bedtime.

* Taking afternoon naps may disrupt your sleep at night so it is a good idea to cut out the nap and instead exercise or do some other activities.

* Certain exercises help you to sleep better at night. Non-strenuous exercises such yoga help, and so do walking and swimming as long as you do them in a non-vigorous, relaxing and leisurely manner. It is also better to do these exercises early on in the day and not after late afternoon. On the other hand, strenuous exercises that energize and gets the adrenaline pumping makes it very hard for you to get a good night's rest.

* Television may adversely affect your sleep especially when you watch something thrilling or scary. These types of shows tend to get the body all pumped up with adrenaline, making it difficult to calm down and go to sleep. Instead of watching TV before bedtime, you could instead try unwinding by reading a book, listening to soft music, or playing a card game.

* Taking a warm bath helps to relax your muscles and body, and helps you get a good night's rest.

* Certain soothing sounds seem to enhance the desire to sleep, in particular, the sound of nature such as the sound of water flowing in a river, or of birds chirping. Soothing music also seems to help, especially relaxing and repetitive music.

Making these positive changes in your daily habits is a step in the right direction towards beating insomnia. With these simple but effective remedies, you will once again get the rest you need for a healthy body and mind.