5 Tips for Avoiding Insomnia

Insomnia strikes more than 58% of adults a few nights or more per week. More than 35% of adults experiences at least one symptom of insomnia every night or almost every night.

Lack of good sleep can have significant impact on your energy level, your mood, your health, and your skin.

When you don't get enough good quality sleep, you may develop under-eye circles, and your skin will begin to look dull. Over time, your skin may actually begin to break out or age more quickly.

Since so many people suffer from insomnia, here are five tips to help avoid it:

Keep your bedroom clean, free of clutter, and use it only for sleep or sex. This means no TV, no loud radio, and no piles of paper. Visual clutter can keep you feeling stressed and overwhelmed when you should be winding down to sleep.

Exercise earlier in the day. If you exercise in the evening, you may not be able to fall asleep soon after. If at all possible, switch your workouts to the early morning.

Watch your levels of caffeine consumption. Too much caffeine can leave you feeling revved up or agitated.

Turn off the computer and TV at least an hour or more before bed. The bright lights can trick your body into thinking it's time to wake up when it's really time to sleep.

Avoid emotional discussions or talking about painful events just before bed. These can release stress hormones which will wake you up rather than calm you down.

Try to keep to a normal sleep routine, even on weekends. But don't keep laying in bed if you don't feel sleepy. Get up and read or relax for a while and return to bed only when you think you'll be able to fall asleep.

There are other tips to help you cope with insomnia, but these should get you started. If your insomnia persists for several nights, it may be time for more intensive stress management and stress reduction techniques.