How to survive the wee hours

An underlying cause
Sleep is one of the most important needs in life. All creatures need it to function – without it we break down mentally and physically. Lack of sleep can cause moodiness, poor concentration and sluggishness.

A common misconception is that the amount of sleep one requires decreases as people age. The ability to sleep for long periods, rather than the need for sleep, appears to be lost as people get older. It's estimated that nearly half of people over age 65 have sleeping difficulties. Insomnia is a common side-effect of some medications, and it can also be caused by stress, emotional upheaval, dietary allergy and physical or mental illness.

But lifestyle habits can play a leading role in your quality of sleep, too, or lack thereof. So the first thing you should do is analyse your patterns and environment. Finding the underlying cause of insomnia is usually necessary to cure it.

Try these tonight

• Not going to bed until you are tired
• Setting a regular schedule to get up in the morning, even on weekends
• Not napping during the day
• Staying away from caffeine, alcohol and nicotine at night
• Not watching TV, eating or reading in bed
• Following the same bedtime rituals each night. Follow rhythms your body is used to
• Avoiding rigorous exercise three hours before bedtime
• Getting out of bed when you can’t fall asleep easily
• Prescribed medication in extreme cases

In search of caffeine
Caffeine late in the day is a no-no – that includes food and drinks such as chocolate, tea and soft drinks. But it's not always obvious where caffeine lurks, so make sure to check food labels. The National Sleep Foundation in the US says the effects of caffeine can cause problems falling asleep as much as 10-12 hours later in some people.

Between yin and yang
Traditional Chinese medicine has included treatment for insomnia throughout history. A typical approach may utilise acupuncture, dietary and lifestyle analysis, herbology and other techniques, with the goal to resolve the problem at a subtle level.

Although these methods have not been scientifically proven, some insomniacs report these remedies are sufficient to break the insomnia cycle without the need for sedatives and sleeping tablets.

Warm milk contains quite high levels of tryptophan, which is a natural sedative. Aromatherapy, including lavender oil and other relaxing essential oils, may also help induce a state of restfulness. Melatonin has proved effective for some insomniacs, mostly in regulating the sleep-waking cycle.

The more relaxed a person is, the greater the likelihood of getting a good night's sleep. Relaxation techniques such as meditation have been proven to help sleep. They take stress from the mind and body which leads to a deeper, more restful sleep.