
Insomnia refers to the inability of an individual to fall asleep at night due to non-restorative sleep. Insomnia is a highly prevalent sleep disorder that frequently affects many people worldwide, specifically adults. Insomnia can be frustrating and upsetting because the insomniac wants to sleep but cannot. Insomnia can adversely affect all the aspects of the health of the particular person and his well-being since it makes an individual feel fatigued and drowsy the following day. Additionally, insomnia negatively affects the mood and the concentration level of the sufferer. In some instances, insomnia makes the particular person become dependent on alcohol, sleeping pills and sleep aids so that they can get sleep; besides that, taking medicine too much will have bad effect for a lifelong. Consequently, in the long-run, this may lead to sleeping disorders worsening. In fact, chronic insomnia significantly affects a person’s physical and mental health by increasing their risk of health problems such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, high blood pressure, certain cancers, obesity, heart disease and diabetes (Cohen et al. 272). Insomnia is common among adults, specifically women, due to the stress of their busy lives. Therefore, to avoid the mental and health problems that are related to insomnia, this paper will discuss various ways in which insomnia can be improved among adults.

The first way in which insomnia can be improved among adults is by improving the sleeping habits of adolescents. Sleeping habits can be addressed through improvement of the sleep environment as well as choosing healthier daytime habits. For one to have better sleep at night, there are some habits that adults can put in place when they are adolescents. Firstly, an adult who is experiencing insomnia should naturally try to boost his melatonin levels. One is supposed to use low-wattage bulbs at night as well as turn off the computer and the TV at least one hour before retiring to bed (Haimov et al. 16). This is because the artificial lights usually interfere with the production of melatonin which is the hormone that stimulates one to sleep at night. Secondly, an adult who is experiencing insomnia is not supposed to read from a backlit device, specifically at night. For instance, one should not use an iPad device at night since it is a backlit device; rather, he or she is supposed to use an eReader device in case it is a must that one has to use a portable electronic device to read. The eReader device requires additional light as compared to the backlit device (Luik et al. 5). Thirdly, an adult who is experiencing insomnia should ensure that his or her bedroom is quiet, cool and dark and the bed is comfortable for them to sleep on. This is because heat, noise, and light can interfere with the individual's sleep and consequently lead to insomnia. In circumstances where one can't avoid light in his or her bedroom, it is recommended that one can use a sleep mask to block out the light. 

Fourthly, one should be using the bedroom for sleep and sex only. An adult who is experiencing insomnia should not work or watch TV when they are in bed. Additionally, an adult is not supposed to be using the computer while in the bed. Establishing the mindset that the bedroom is meant to be used only for sleep and sex may train the brain to always associate the bedroom with sleep and sex, thus reducing insomnia. Fifthly, an adult who is experiencing insomnia should move the bedroom clock out of view. If the individual can see the clock, this can interfere with their sleep because this may cause him or her to anxiously watch the minutes tick, eventually stimulating their insomnia.

Sixthly, an adult who is experiencing insomnia should ensure that he keeps a regular bedtime routine for him to have better sleep. They can keep the regular bedtime routine for sleep through maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. For instance, they should be going to bed and waking up at the same time each and every day including the weekends. Also, they should be going to bed earlier so as to match the time when one feels like going to bed even if it is earlier than the time that they used to sleep. Furthermore, an individual who experiences insomnia should ensure that they develop some soothing bedtime rituals. For instance, they may take a bath, play music, take deep breaths and meditate, and this may consequently stimulate sleep (Oxtoby et al. 71).

Another way in which the insomnia of adults can be improved is through maintaining a proper diet as well as getting regular exercise. Overwhelmingly, these two daytime habits in most instances affect the kind of sleep that one is going to experience during the night. An adult who is experiencing insomnia should incorporate the following tips into their life to help improve their insomnia. They should limit the intake of caffeine drinks during the late hours in the course of the day. Examples of products with caffeine that one is supposed to avoid are chocolate, coffee, soda, and tea. Also, an adult who is experiencing insomnia should refrain from consuming alcohol before bedtime. However, some individuals tend to think that drinking alcohol will make them sleepy, but eventually, in the course of the night, it disrupts their sleep. Moreover, an adult who has the habit of experiencing insomnia should ensure that before he gets to bed, he satisfies his hunger (Jeannie). One is supposed to consume light snacks such as warm milk, crackers, yoghurt, and cereals. Again, to improve their sleep, the insomniac is supposed to avoid heavy meals or spicy foods just before going to sleep. This is because heavy meals, as well as spicy meals, may lead to indigestion or discomfort and as a result, this may lead to insomnia (Okajima et al. 37). It is advisable for an adult to take a modest-size dinner at least 3 hours before going to sleep so as to improve insomnia. Lastly, an adult who frequently experiences insomnia should minimize the intake of liquids before sleeping. In fact, one is supposed to limit himself from consuming liquids within an hour and a half before bedtime.

Regular exercise can assist an adult in overcoming sleeping problems as stated earlier. This is because exercise, specifically aerobic activity, helps one to release the chemicals that may have accumulated in the body, which in turn may make an individual sleep peacefully. There are numerous activities that one can engage in so as to prepare themselves for a good night's sleep at the end of the day. However, it is prudent before one embarks on any new fitness program to consult their doctor. The following are the various fitness programs that an adult can engage in that may help them get ready to sleep. One is swimming or water exercises. Swimming laps provide a gentle way of establishing fitness and is beneficial for sore joints or weak muscles. In many communities and YMCA pools, there are swim programs that are meant for adults as well as water-based exercise classes and the insomniac can utilize them to improve their insomnia.

The second form of exercise that can help alleviate insomnia is dancing. In case an adult loves to move to music then they should go dancing or enroll in a dancing class. Consequently, this will provide exercise to people with insomnia and this, in turn, may make them enjoy their sleep in the course of the night ("Wake your mind to sleeping"). Additionally, dance classes are essential as they provide a forum that one can use to extend social networks. Third, one could take up petanque, lawn bowling and bocce as a way of having regular exercise. Notably, these ball games provide an opportunity to exercise in a gentle way. This is because the more an individual walks and the brisker the pace, the more aerobic respiration that a person is going to experience which will be beneficial to their body (Heckler et al. 2063). Another form of exercise is golf. Admittedly, the sport of golf is a form of exercise that usually does not require rigorous movements which may make it a convenient game for older adults. During the golfing game, the more an individual person moves, the more aerobic bonus it adds to their body. Furthermore, golf provides an opportunity to spend time with friends consequently improving their mood which eventually stimulates sleep. Lastly, an adult can engage in cycling or running to improve their insomnia. If a person is in good shape, they can run as well as cycle even when they are in their old age. Notably, cycling or running can be done outdoors or on a stationary bike or treadmill.

The third way in which insomnia may be improved is through reducing mental stress. Mental stress and anxiety are hard to avoid since they face us in our day-to-day activities, but the best way to fight them is to know how to manage them. In fact, it is crucial for the adult to know how he or she can let go of thoughts and anxieties before sleeping so as to avoid insomnia. The following are some of the ways in which one can reduce mental stress as well as anxiety (Fung et al. 631). The first way is to keep a journal of the worries that they have had in the course of the day before retiring to bed. Another way is to keep a to do list and check things off after completing them but letting go of the things that they did not complete. Additionally, one can read a book that makes them feel relaxed so as to try to forget the anxieties and the worries that they had in the course of the day. Furthermore, one could get a massage either from their partner or a friend who will help them feel relaxed. Lastly, before one sleeps, one should seek opportunities that will assist the particular person who has been overwhelmed with stress to have a face to face conversation with a friend regarding what is troubling them. Consequently, this assists an individual in reducing their mental stress as well as their anxiety.

However, medication should not be used to improve insomnia. Some individuals argue that after a person tries the variety of self-help techniques as described above one should make an appointment of seeing a sleep specialist so as to be put on medication. In most instances, the sleeping specialist gives the particular adult who is suffering from insomnia sleeping pills and aids which are only effective for short-term situations only (Wilt et al. 110). Notably, insomnia can't be cured through sleeping pills or sleeping aids. In fact, long-term use worsens the insomnia condition. Thus, the ideal way of improving the insomnia is through the cognitive-behavioral therapy which is a way of treating the patterns of behavior, modifying the negative thoughts and emotions.

In summary of the above, the self-help techniques are the ideal techniques that are supposed to treat insomnia. This is because their impacts are long-lasting as compared to the medicinal practices of treating insomnia. Some of them such as regular exercise not only treat insomnia but also are useful for the physical well-being of the respective person. Therefore, insomnia should be addressed using the self-help techniques among the adults since it is more beneficial as compared to the medication.
