Insomnia is a very common sleep disorder and it can affect almost anyone. What most people do when they experience insomnia is using diffused lavender oils, repeating mantras, listening to rain-sounds, or drinking some sleep medications. However, what if we tell you that you can manage your insomnia by making only six changes. Here are six lifestyle changes which will help you hack insomnia once and for all.

Shift Your Work Hours

You should shift your work hours if that’s possible. So, if you are a night owl, it’s best to work in the evening and sleep in the morning. By doing so, you will accommodate and won’t stress your body to wake up early even though you haven’t slept properly at night. You can ask your manager if it’s possible to work a shifted day as you will be far more productive after 10 a.m. than you are at 7 a.m.

Limit the Caffeine Intake

If you are a passionate coffee lover, this idea might not be your favorite one so far. However, many people are slow metabolizers and can’t process caffeine quickly. As a result, they experience insomnia no matter what time they had a cup of coffee. Hence, if you notice that you can’t sleep because of the coffee you’ve drunk, it’s best to limit the caffeine intake or maybe switch to decaf.

Keep Your Blood Sugar, Stress, and Sex Hormones In Check

The hormones have a huge effect on our sleep, especially estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, insulin, melatonin, and thyroid hormones. Hence, if they are not kept in check, they can wreak havoc on your overall health, as well as, your sleep. So, it’s very important to keep these hormones in balance and learn to recognize your body. One of the most effective ways to keep the hormones in check is by lowering the stress levels by doing regular exercise, dancing, or doing some recreational sport. Moreover, you should consume carbs, protein, and fat at every meal and never go to bed hungry or too full. Last but not least, test your thyroid and sex hormones and their imbalance can trigger insomnia.

Optimize Your Sleep Environment

This is another great change you should make. So, your bedroom should be only for sleeping and there shouldn’t be any stimuli from the outside world. Make sure you sleep in a cool, quiet, dark room with no TV. Make sure you leave your phone away from the bedroom and use your bedroom only for sleeping. Over time, you will get used to the fact that as soon as you go into your bedroom, you need to sleep there.

 Limit Naps

If you thought that naps will help you catch up on missed sleep, you probably aren’t aware that you can contribute to your insomnia. So, limit naps and try to maintain a regular sleep pattern. By doing so, you will train your body and mind to associate sleep with cues like darkness and a consistent bedtime.

Eat a Light Snack

There are certain foods, such as turkey and dairy products, which promote sleep by increasing the sleep-promoting melatonin and serotonin. So, if you don’t feel like sleeping but it’s time to go to bed, eat a light snack, like cheese and crackers or yogurt. This will help you induce sleepiness and help you sleep better and tighter.