Suppose someone you knew was suffering from insomnia. Explain five healthy sleep related habits or techniques that they could use to improve his or her sleep?

What will be an ideal response?

Answer: A good answer will include five of the following key points.
? Use your bed for sleeping only, not working or studying.
? Do not turn sleep into work—putting effort into falling asleep generally leads to arousal instead of sleep.
? Keep your clock out of sight—watching the clock increases pressure to sleep and worries about getting enough sleep.
? Get exercise early during the day. Exercise may not increase the amount of sleep, but may help you sleep better. Exercise late in the day, however, may leave you restless and aroused at bedtime.
? Avoid substances that disrupt sleep. Common substances include caffeine (in coffee, tea, many soft drinks and other sources), nicotine, and alcohol. Illicit drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, and ecstasy all disrupt healthy sleep.
? If you lie in bed worrying at night, schedule evening time to deal with stress. Write down your worries and stressors for about 30 minutes prior to bedtime.
? If you continue to lie in bed without sleeping for 30 minutes, get up and do something else until you are about to fall asleep, then return to bed.
? Get up at the same time every morning. Although this may lead to sleepiness the first day or two, eventually it helps set the daily rhythm.
? If you still have problems sleeping after 4 weeks, consider seeing a sleep specialist to get tested for sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, or other sleep problem that may require more specific interventions.