Short-term insomnia is annoying, but dealing with chronic insomnia is much worse. The long-term effects of sleep deprivation are severe and include everything from memory problems to lower libido and cardiovascular problems. Having insomnia night after night is frustrating because you may feel extremely tired and crave sleep but your brain simply won't cooperate. Here are a few proven tactics for coping with chronic insomnia and getting a good night's sleep on a regular basis:

Set up an Appointment at a Sleep Clinic

This step can dramatically improve your sleep problems quickly. At a sleep clinic, doctors and nurses who specialize in sleep disorders will monitor you overnight, keeping an eye on and analyzing your breathing, brain waves, heart rhythm and more. This can help identify any underlying medical issues that are contributing to your insomnia so you can be given appropriate treatment.

You will be placed in a dark, comfortable room during your sleep study and be allowed to sleep in a nice bed. If you experience insomnia and have disrupted or fitful sleep the doctors will still most likely be able to collect useful data that will help them create a treatment plan.

Try Prescription Medication

In addition to participating in a sleep study, you may choose to have your sleep specialist doctor prescribe prescription medication to help you sleep when needed. Prescription sleep medicine tends to be more effective than over the counter sleep aids, and often leaves people feeling refreshed instead of groggy the next morning. It's also a good idea to have your doctor monitor your dosage and the type of medication you take so adjustments can be made as needed.

Create a Bedtime Ritual and Stick to It

To complement your sleep study and medication it's a good idea to create a consistent and soothing sleep ritual at home. Going to bed at the same time each night, making sure your room is dark and the temperature is comfortable, upgrading your mattress to a more comfortable model, and sleeping with a white noise machine are all useful ways to create an ideal sleeping environment. You may also want to avoid screentime before bed and do something relaxing like yoga or meditation. Your brain will soon associate this nightly ritual with sleep.

Working with a sleep clinic staff and following the other tips on this list will give you control over your chronic insomnia and help you get more frequent and more restful sleep. 

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