Too many long days and sleepless nights can wear the body ragged. They can lead to tiredness and fatigue, dulled reflexes and reaction time, and even a decreased resistance that causes you to get sick more often. But is there anything you can do about it, other than taking some sort of pill to help you fall asleep? In most cases, the answer is yes.

Insomnia isn’t fun… very few people enjoy seeing the sun rise after laying in bed trying to sleep for hours. In many cases, however, insomnia is perfectly treatable… even chronic insomnia, and all without a visit to the doctor or a trip to the drug store.

The Myth of Peace and Quiet

Often people think that in order to get over their sleeplessness, they need to find a perfectly quiet place to lay down, and the lack of noise and activity will lull them asleep. Unfortunately, there aren’t many places that can be considered truly “quiet”… no matter where you go, you’ll probably still be able to hear birds, bugs, environmental sounds, and usually even the sounds of cars or trucks in the distance. If you’re thinking that a perfect, serene locale is what you need to find, keep looking.

On top of the difficulty of finding peace and quiet, you need to take into consideration that most people are used to some form of noise when they sleep. Chances are you’ve been hearing some common noises just about every night of your life, and if you get rid of them completely you’ll discover that it’s harder to catch some z’s than it was before. That’s not saying that you shouldn’t try to get rid of loud or obnoxious noises; one solution that you might consider is getting a CD player or radio with a timer to drown out other small sounds, and let it play softly in the room where you’re trying to sleep. Pick music that you like, and that relaxes you… with any luck, you’ll be sleeping before the timer stops it from playing.

Is It Hot In Here, or Is It Just Me?

Research has shown that the temperature of where you sleep can greatly effect the way that you sleep. If it’s too cold (both in the room and in the bed), then your body will shiver and you’ll wake up feeling tired and groggy. If it’s too hot, on the other hand, then you’re prone to sweat and be restless. Ideally, your bedroom should be kept slightly cool… various research has found that temperatures around 62 F (16 C) are very good for restful sleep. A sleep environment that gets too warm, such as above 71 F (24 C), tends to cause restlessness and loss of sleep. Additionally, a child’s room should be kept on a reasonably even level at around 65 F (18 C).

Of course, the humidity of the room also plays a part in how well you sleep. If the humidity is low, your throat and lungs will tend to feel dry and you may be up all night coughing and hacking. If it’s high, on the other hand, you’ll tend to sweat more and it won’t evaporate as quickly. Look into getting a small humidifier if you live in an area with relatively low humidity, even if you only run it at night; if you live with high humidity, use bed linens made of natural fibers that are soft and absorbent and sleep in light cotton pajamas to keep sweat off of you but still let the body breathe.

You Made Your Bed, Now Lay In It

Obviously, the type of bed that you have can make a huge difference in the quality of sleep that you get. If you find that you have aches and pains in the mornings that fade away within a matter of hours, then you need to get yourself a new mattress. Changing an uncomfortable mattress to a comfortable one has been found to have many positive sleep benefits, including sleep of a higher quality and a reduction of restlessness at night.

Of course, there are a variety of beds out there, and going mattress shopping can sometimes be almost as worrisome as shopping for a car. Should you buy a memory foam mattress, or one of those orthopedic beds you saw on tv, or maybe even a water bed? Lay down on the mattress in the store, to get a feel for the firmness and support of the mattress. Do you feel relaxed or slightly tired upon laying on it? If so, you might want to consider coming back to it after you’ve checked out some of the other mattresses. The goal of a mattress is to support you in comfort; if you find one that does it well, you’ll be amazed at the difference that it makes.

A Quick Bite Before Bed

Some people think that having a bite to eat before bedtime will help them to sleep, but in most cases the opposite is true: eating raises your metabolic rate, which raises your body temperature and gives you energy. The best time to go to sleep is when your body temperature is dropping, not rising. But if eating does all of that, then why do you tend to get a bit sleepy after eating a big lunch or dinner?

When your eat, the brain diverts energy away from the muscles in order to work the muscles of the digestive system. This will make you feel tired and sluggish, but it’s only temporary until the body finishes the first wave of digestion. After that, you’re going to have the rush of energy coming your way that’s being released by the food that you just finished… something you definitely don’t want before bedtime!

Ideally, you should eat smaller amounts in the evening, and it should be more than three hours before you plan on going to bed. Consider a snack in the afternoon between lunch and dinner, and then when you have your dinner fill it with foods such as green vegetables and other foods high in magnesium. Avoid foods containing monosodium glutamate (MSG) and tartrazine (E-102), as both of these additives tend to have negative effects on the quality of sleep.

One old food recommendation that can actually work is a glass of warm milk before bed. Pour 8 ounces of milk into a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon, and bring it to a boil. Allow it to simmer for 2-3 minutes, then pour it into a mug and add honey to sweeten it if you choose. Drink it while it’s still warm. This can actually help you to get some sleep, because it contains the chemical known as tryptophan, which is what makes you sleepy after eating a lot of turkey at Thanksgiving.

Work Yourself to Sleep

If you still find that you’re having problems sleeping, you may simply be too tense and stressed (possibly from the frustration of not being able to sleep.) Taking a few moments to give yourself a face and shoulder massage (or getting your partner to do it for you) can make a huge difference, enabling you to sleep more deeply and awaking (and looking) refreshed in the morning.

A general change in lifestyle may also help you to get more sleep. Gradually adding various forms of exercise will not only improve your general health, but will begin to burn off excess sugars and energy that keeps you awake at night. Just be sure that you don’t exercise right before bedtime; exercise tends to energize you, which is the opposite effect of what you want. Instead, set your alarm for a little earlier and start the day with some mild exercise and a shower. It can give you a new outlook on life, especially once you get your sleep problems under control.