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.
Smokers are more likely to have insomnia than non-smokers.
As with many other health conditions, it's important for people with insomnia to quit smoking. The body produces less melatonin with advancing age, which may explain why elderly people often have difficulty sleeping 7 and why melatonin supplements improve sleep in the elderly. 8 Other adults with insomnia also have lower melatonin levels. 9 Double blind research with young adults shows that melatonin facilitates sleep. Studies using time-release melatonin have reported good results.