Struggling with insomnia? Try these 14 tips for sound sleep

Insomnia or sleeplessness is a common problem that affects almost everyone at some point. While the most common cause of insomnia is stress, a new research published in Molecular Psychiatry suggests that specific genes could make us more susceptible to troubled sleep. The research team, led by Murray Stein, MD of the University of California San Diego and the VA San Diego Healthcare System, confirmed insomnia is hereditary. According to the researchers, these genes may also be tied to mental health disorders and metabolic health conditions.

Other risk factors for insomnia are an abnormal working pattern, eating late in the evening, and inactivity. Chronic insomnia - which is defined as sleep problems that persist for at least one month - may also be associated with medical conditions or the use of certain drugs. Signs and symptoms of insomnia include - difficulty falling asleep at night, struggling to maintain sleep and waking up frequently during the night, waking up too early, not feeling well-rested after a night's sleep, daytime tiredness or sleepiness, irritability, depression or anxiety, poor concentration and focus, etc. Insomnia can make it hard for you to carry out your daily activities, but treatment can help. In fact, most cases of insomnia can be cured by making simple changes in one's life, perhaps, without relying on sleep specialists or turning to prescription or over-the-counter sleeping pills.

If you're struggling with insomnia, you may try the below-suggested tips to promote sound sleep and improve your overall health:
Practice good sleep habits -such as sticking to a regular sleep schedule. Set your biological clock by keeping your bedtime and wake time consistent from day to day, including weekends. and getting up at the same time every day, including weekends. This will help you get back in a regular sleep rhythm.
Make your sleeping environment comfortable - temperature, lighting, and noise should be controlled to make the bedroom convenient for sleep.
Make sure you turn off all screens at least an hour before bed. Electronic screens emit a blue light that disrupts your body's production of melatonin and combats sleepiness.

Try taking a warm shower before going to bed. Experts say it is like an exercise, the hot shower will help you to fall asleep as soon as you hit the bed.
Dip your feet in lukewarm water in a foot tub or bucket to relax your body muscles and tissues and add one teaspoon of Epsom salt commonly known as dead sea salt. Foot bath also prevents your skin from unwanted bacteria and decreases the leg pain that you gained from the whole day. You can also put some essential oil like basil (Tulsi) Oil, cedarwood oil, cypress oil, juniper berry oil, lavender oil, rosemary oil and wintergreen oil in the bucket of warm water. Just put 1 or 2 drops into the water. Lavender, Jasmine, Neroli, and ylang-ylang are very useful for the natural oil therapy for insomnia. The soothing and calm effect of essential oil can prevent you from sleeplessness.

Avoid eating or drinking right before going to bed. Eating a late dinner or snacking before going to bed can activate the digestive system and you can suffer from gastric problems or heartburn. It is even more important to avoid eating and drinking right before bed since this can make your symptoms worse and will keep you up.
Decrease your caffeine and intake.

Avoid or limit alcohol intake. Both alcohol and caffeine disrupt the sleep cycle and may keep you up throughout the night.
Delay worrying and brainstorming. If you wake up during the night feeling anxious about something, make a brief note of it on paper and postpone worrying about it until the next day when it will be easier to resolve.
Avoid naps during the day as it can make it more difficult for you to sleep at night. If you feel like you have to take a nap, limit it to 30 minutes.

Sipping warm milk with honey daily at night is a great idea to improve sleep.
Practice cognitive behavioural therapy and manage your stress.
Stay active - regular activity helps promote a good night's sleep.
Move bedroom clocks out of view. Anxiously watching the minutes tick by when you can't sleep - knowing that you're going to be exhausted when the alarm goes off - is a surefire recipe for insomnia.
Last, but not the least, check your medications to see if they may contribute to insomnia.