Does the thought ever occur to you that you may be deprived of your complete sleep? Is your quality of sleep adequate? Do you often feel tired, unable to concentrate and not energetic at the beginning of a day?

World Health Organization studies indicate that one third of the world population suffers from insomnia at some point of time in their life. And 5 percent of those need medical intervention.

But this need not be the cause of worry, as there are numerous natural remedies and techniques to counter insomnia. Those being:

1) Sit and relax before you hit the bed. Listen to soft music and do deep breathing exercises. These will calm you and help you sleep. Come what may, do not consume caffeine, alcohol or nicotine before you sleep.

2) Formulate a bedtime routine, for the evening, which can be associated with sleeping. For example, drinking hot milk and having a warm water bath can be really helpful. Milk contains tryptophan which induces sleep while a bath / shower lowers the internal body temperature thereby signaling the body that its time to sleep. An equally effective alternative is chamomile tea, which is known to calm nerves.

3) Avoid activities like eating; watching TV, reading etc. in your bedroom as the body is unable to associate sleep with the bedroom. Your bedroom should be a dark and cozy place, which gives you the feeling of comfort and security.

4) Before you sleep, always empty your mind of thoughts for the next day. Make a to-do list, organize clothes for the morning, and prepare lunch a night before. Delay appointments in case you worry about getting up early.

5) Release all the anxieties, regrets and other negative thoughts from your mind that may be troubling you since long. Straighten out things between family members, forgive and forget all that has hurt you, and if at all required, make that appointment with your psychologist.

6) Organize your life and your chores. Make dinner and freeze half for the next day. Pick up your room everyday so as to avoid it becoming a big task. A menu for the entire week is also a good idea. Make time for a good night’s sleep.

7) A balanced diet is a key to feeling healthy and thereby having a good sleep. Include the essential vitamins and minerals in your food and remove all the junk food stuff that is occupying your cabinet. Regular exercising should be done to stay fit.

8) If you are not getting sleep, don’t lie in the bed worrying, as it’ll only make it worse. Get up, distract yourself with something till the time you feel sleepy.

9) Few drugs can cause insomnia. Consult your physician in case he has prescribed any drug, which has insomnia as a side effect.

10) Another important cause is stress. By following the above techniques, stress can be regulated and you can have a peaceful sleep.