From time to time, most people will suffer some insomnia, particularly when under stress. It may show itself in lying awake for what feels like hours, before falling asleep; or you might fall asleep fairly easily, but wake up after a couple of hours and find it impossible to get back to sleep again.
While we cannot alter significant life circumstances - a new baby, or a bereavement, or financial worries - which may keep us awake at night, there are some lifestyle choices that may help us to have a more restful night, which in itself may make the stresses of the daytime easier to deal with.
Caffeine and insomnia
While some people can sleep for eight hours after drinking black espresso, there are many for whom caffeine, even in small doses, will cause sleeplessness at night. You may find that this happens as you get older, so if you are suffering insomnia, the first thing to check is your caffeine intake. Any coffee at all during the late afternoon or evening may make you so alert that you cannot sleep. Even de-caff coffee may cause problems for some, as can tea, cocoa, chocolate, as well as 'cola' drinks. If you are sensitive to caffeine, even a single chocolate biscuit at bedtime may cause you to lie awake, with your mind racing.
Protein and insomnia
While hot milky drinks are traditionally given to help people sleep, there is some evidence that protein of any kind makes us more alert, while carbohydrates can make us sleepy. This may seem counter-intuitive to parents whose children appear to suffer 'sugar high' bursts of energy, but high blood sugar is often followed by a rapid drop, and loss of energy. A piece of fruit, or some toast and honey, an hour or so before bedtime, is likely to be more effective in helping you to sleep than a milky drink, particularly hot chocolate which also contains caffeine.
Calcium to help insomnia
The reason why milky drinks used to be recommended at bedtime were that milk is high in calcium. At least, in the days before homogenised milk was common, milk and other dairy products were a good source. Nowadays it is difficult to get sufficient calcium unless you eat a lot of leafy vegetables and legumes. Calcium helps us to relax, so if you are having trouble sleeping, a good quality calcium supplement at night may help.
Relaxing environment to help insomnia
If, despite all the advice above, you still cannot sleep, and do not have any particularly stressful circumstances that are causing your mind to churn, you might want to consider the room in which you are trying to sleep. Does it provide a generally relaxing environment?
If there is clutter piled on every surface, dirty clothes on the floor, light from the street coming through the windows, and electrical gadgets with winking lights, it is not surprising that you cannot sleep. Try turning off as many gadgets as possible, and use thick curtains or blinds to cut out as much light as you can. Try some de-cluttering and tidying; the bedroom can all too easily become the repository for clutter from the rest of the house, because it is not generally seen by visitors, but it does not lead to a relaxing place to rest. Moreover, clutter tends to attract dust, and many people have low-key allergies to dust mites.
When the room is tidy and clean, try putting fresh sheets on the bed and a drop or two of lavender oil on your pillow. Switch off the television or computer at least an hour before bedtime, take a warm bath - with a drop or two more lavender oil - and then read a comforting book before turning the light out. Breathe slowly, taking longer to exhale than to inhale, and you may find that sleep overcomes you at last.