What do you do when you can't sleep at night?

Insomnia or sleeplessness has assumed alarming proportions in present times, especially among the upper classes in urban areas. This is evident from the wide range of medication for this condition prescribed by physicians and sold by chemists. Instances of persons taking an overdose of sleeping pills with fatal results are quite frequent. Insomnia deprives a person of mental rest and thereby interferes with his activities in the daytime. It onstitutes a severe health hazard when it becomes a habit.The amount of sleep, however, varies within very wide limits from individual to individual. Normally, seven to eight hours of sleep every night is adequate for most people. Some, however, do well with four to five hours because their sleep is deeper and more refreshing.Insomnia is common among the elderly for a variety of reasons. The sleep of the elderly is often punctuated by brief periods of wakefulness during the night. IN such cases it is the quality rather than the quantity which is most affected.

It doesn't really happen to me many times but when it happens I usually count numbers (that's classic, I know) because I don't wanna get up from bed even though I heard when you can't sleep it's worse if you stay on bed, the more you want to sleep, the less you can.

toun on the tv... and ftry to find some cartoons or a romance.... they are perfect sleeping pills

I usually warm a cup of milk in the microwave and drink it down. Then, I go play a game on http://www.pogo.com until I get sleepy enough to toddle off to bed and hopefully fall into a restful slumber.

If I can't sleep, then generally I try to rest instead. Just lying quietly in bed will help your body to re-charge. There's no point trying to force yourself to sleep, you'll just get frustrated. A cup of camomile tea or similar might help. Alternatively, try doing more during the day to wear yourself out.

This isn't me being funny. (honest) When i'm tired i try to go to sleep. if i didn't i would never get to sleep and i always try to use my energy so i'm tired when it comes to sleepy time. (my son helps here) lol ~Joey

I just go to the computer and browse the internet if can't sleep well. Sometimes I watch Dvd or listens to the radio so that I will not got bored.

wel.....just to turn on my computer and do something hasty....

i message someone and dont let them sleep either..lol, just kidding..i usually drink a glass of warm milk or try reading..it helps..my bro closes his eyes n thinks about some scenario and that puts him to sleep..try it!

Just calm down and dont think anything else. At this time i am always let my brain have a little break and have a good rest. Thats really good for sleeping. You can have a try. Mary

may be you should take a meal arround 8 pm, after that you can read light comix or manga, while read you can hear also some mellow songs and read your manga or comix on bed, after one or two hours it should be allready makes you sleepy, oh you may add drink warm milk may be, give it a try, it works for me usually. the key is makes your body relax.

Reading my literature text always makes me start yawning. I usually pop on the computer when I can't sleep (every night) and listen to calm music and try to relax.

when i can't sleep at night but i have to wake up early the following day, i try to read boring stuffs, stuffs that i know doesn't interest me at all, because in that way, i'll be able to get bored then go to sleep.

I have the same problem... but no short term solution. If I know I will have to get up early, I prepare myself 2 or 3 days in advance by tiring myself out to force myself to want to sleep. One of my tricks is to stay up 36 hours, skipping a night sleep all together. Then I am ready to go to bed at 9PM instead of 4AM.

mine is a pretty funny thing i am a student n i always take a book n try to read it wen ever i feel not sleepy,,,cz i hate books n i immediately gt sleep if i start reading

i used to have insomia when i was in college the nurse at my school advised me to drink hot milk before going to bed! and it works for me!

warm herbal tea... diving into some sweet memories helps

I find that reading or doing a crossword puzzle while lying in bed makes me drowzy fairly quickly (keeping my head on the pillow). It only works for me if I stay lying down though. I become too alert if I do it sitting up.

i have no the same problem but some time i stay in my bed like a hour after sleep but one of thing u can do is go for some milk