Insomnia, stress part of vicious cycle

Sleep is vital for our health and wellbeing. However, a lack of sleep and/or poor quality sleep has become a modern day epidemic.
Insomnia includes both having trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep.
Possible emotional causes of insomnia include stress, anxiety, grief, depression and the habit that develops after long term insomnia. Physical causes may include pain, cramps and muscle aches, sedentary lifestyle, food sensitivities, low blood sugars, adrenal exhaustion, menopause, indigestion, breathing issues, alcohol or caffeine consumption and possible medications' side effects.
I have noticed that as stress becomes more prolific so does insomnia, developing a vicious cycle. The more stressed our days become, the more the adrenalin is pumping and the busier our minds are at night, "Hello Insomnia". Because you haven't slept well it's harder to think clearly or have energy during the day, so you reach for sugary foods and/or caffeine. But it not only stimulates you throughout the day, but also during the night. And so the cycle continues.
Before establishing the most suitable plan to combat your insomnia you must determine the cause/s. However there are some fundamental considerations that are appropriate in most cases.
¦ Avoid alcohol, high sugar and refined foods and caffeine (tea, chocolate, coffee, energy drinks). Some people also find green tea too stimulating. Once you have re-established a healthy sleeping pattern, try having no more than one coffee or tea daily before midday. Monitor yourself and develop a timing and quantity guideline that works for you. Beware that this will change depending on daily stresses. Before consuming anything, ask yourself if you are looking for false energy. If "yes", don't have it.
¦ Check with your doctor or pharmacist if insomnia is a side effect of any of your medication.
¦ Go to bed at similar time each night. Preferably before 10.30pm for a restorative sleep. Our cortisol levels should naturally fall in the evening to allow us to fall sleep. It then naturally starts to rise again around 2am and therefore sleep is less likely to be as deep after that.
¦ Get up at your regular time. Resist the temptation to sleep in.
¦ Use the bedroom for sleeping and romance only - not reading, working, eating, watching TV.
¦ Keep pen and paper beside your bed to jot down any thoughts or must do's that keep you awake. Once written down give yourself permission to deal with it tomorrow.
¦ In the evening eat a small serving of warm milk, banana, yoghurt, nut butter or tuna on whole grain cracker. These foods are good sources of tryptophan, a precursor of melatonin. It can also help sustain blood sugars levels throughout the night.
¦ Don't lie in bed awake for hours. Get up and do something, then relax for 20 minutes or so, until you feel tired again. A small snack may help.
¦ Avoid clock watching.
¦ Include physical activity into daily routine.
¦ Include a relaxation technique of choice in your evening routine, nothing overstimulating before bed e.g. difficult crosswords, intense conversations... A hot bath is wonderful.
¦ Do not use computer or cell phone or watch TV for 1-2 hours before bed. The light from the screen signals the brain that it is day time and that it should be awake. Dim lights before bed assist melatonin production. Melatonin is a hormone that tells us it's time to sleep. For this reason, avoid bright illuminating clocks beside your bed.
¦ If you are a night owl and want to start going to bed earlier, do it gradually. Every few nights bring your bedtime back by 15 minutes.
¦ What we do to support ourselves against stress during the day helps our sleep at night. Start by ensuring everyday includes a little "me time".
Herbal and nutritional assistance that may be appropriate includes:
¦ Tart Cherry Juice - supports melatonin levels.
¦ 5HTP - precursor of serotonin and melatonin hormones. Do not use if you are on antidepressant medication or St Johns Wort.
¦ Sedative herbs such as passionflower, hops, valerian, Californian poppy, lemon balm, chamomile...
¦ Fresh lemon balm tea before bed is great for the overactive mind.
¦ Flower Essences - Rescue Remedy Sleep is the most recognised. It can be useful to support the busy mind and emotional aspect of insomnia.
¦ Magnesium - taking your magnesium supplement in the evening can assist sleep as one of its many roles is relaxing muscles and nerves.
¦ Possible day time support includes B complex, vitamin C, magnesium and stress support herbs such as St John's wort, skullcap, rosemary, green oatstraw, withania, Siberian or panax ginseng, chamomile, to name a few.
Be sure to check all herbal and nutritional supplements with a health professional to ensure they are appropriate in your situation, particularly if you have health concerns or taking medication.