Insomnia is commonly seen in migraine and chronic daily headache patients.

Rules for Better Sleep:

1. Sleep as much as needed to feel refreshed and healthy during the following day, but not more.  Curtailing the time in bed seems to slidify sleep; excessively long times in bed seem related to fragmented and shallow sleep.

2.Set the alarm and get up at the same time every morning, regardless of how much you slept during the night.  A regular awakening time strengthens circadian cycling and, finally, leads to regular times of sleep onset.

3. A steady daily amount of exercise probably deepns sleep.  Yoga, deep breathing/relaxtion excercises may help.

4.Hunger may disturb sleep; a light snack may help sleep.  Caffeine in the evening disturbs sleep, even in those who feel it does not.

5. Alcohol helps tense people fall asleep more easily, but the ensuing sleep is then fragmented.  The chronic use of tobacco disturbs sleep.

6. Use the bed only for sleeping; do not read, watch television or eat in bed.  If unable to sleep, get up and move to another room until you are really sleepy, then return to bed.  The goal is to associate bed with falling asleep quickly.

7. Occasional loud noises disturb sleep even in people whoa re not awakened by noises and cannot remember them in the morning.  Sound attenuated bedrooms may help those who must sleep close to noise.  White noise sound machines or ear plugs help to blunt outside noise.

8. An occasional sleeping pill may be of some benefit, but their chronic use is ineffective in most insomniacs.

9. People who feel angry and frustrated because they cannot sleep should not try harder and harder to fall asleep, but should turn on the light and do something different.

10. Keep the lights in the bedroom down low, even prior to sleeping, because bright lights will awaken your brain.  If a night light is needed, keep it in the bathroom.

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