My difficulty with sleeping

I am a 55- year old civil servant. I have been having problems for the last two weeks with sleeping. I saw a doctor who gave me some sleeping tablets which helped me to sleep well. My problem now is that I find it difficult to sleep without the drug. Kindly advise me on what to do.

Ade (by SMS)

 

While sleep medications may be good as a short- term measure for sleeping problems, they are not good as a permanent solution. A good method to sleep without medication is to adapt a good ‘sleep hygiene’. This is a collection of habits that can help you fall asleep more easily and sleep more deeply. These habits include sticking to a regular sleep schedule (same bedtime and wake-up time), seven days a week, exercising at least 30 minutes per day most days of the week as well as getting plenty of natural light exposure during the day. You can do the latter by opening your blinds first thing in the morning and going outside during the day. In addition, establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine such as taking a warm bath or shower before bed, don’t work, eat or watch TV in bed and go to bed when sleepy and get out of bed if you are tossing and turning. Make sure your sleep environment is pleasant and relaxing. Your bed should be comfortable, and your room shouldn’t be too hot, too cold, or too bright. Be sure your pillow is comfortable and turn off the alert for texts and emails on your phone. Finally, don’t take stimulants such as coffee, wine or alcohol close to bedtime.

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