The Library Brands All Products for Encyclopedia Health Concerns Vitamins, Minerals, etc. The inability to get a good night's sleep can result from waking up in the middle of the night and having trouble getting back to sleep. It also occurs when people have a hard time getting to sleep in the first place.
Insomnia can be a temporary, occasional, or chronic problem.
Doctors of natural medicine will sometimes recommend eating a high-carbohydrate food before bedtime, such as a slice of bread or some crackers. Dealing with that stress, through counseling or other techniques, may be the key to a better night's rest. Psychological intervention has helped in many studies. A steady sleeping and eating schedule combined with caffeine avoidance and counseling sessions using behavioral therapy has reduced insomnia for some people, as has listening to relaxation tapes. 5 Only scanty research explores the effect of exercise on sleep, yet some doctors of natural medicine recommend daily exercise as a way to reduce stress, which in turn can help with insomnia.