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Insomnia
How Can I Prevent Insomnia?
If your bedroom is too noisy or too bright, do what you can to create a quiet, dark environment with adequate ventilation and humidity; excessively dry air can cause nasal passages to shrink and make you uncomfortable. Wearing earplugs and eye shades will help to keep out distractions.
If you're working nights and simply can't sleep well during the day, ask your employer about changing back to a regular daytime job. A strategy that works for some people who must work at night involves installing lights much brighter than normal during the night shift and then wearing dark glasses as they go home and prepare for sleep. This helps to shift their circadian rhythm so they sleep better in the daytime and remain more alert at night.
Try not to be rigid about when and how much you sleep. Worrying about a sleep schedule can just make it harder to fall asleep. If you prefer taking a nap during the day and sleeping less at night, do so. The total amount of sleep you get in a 24-hour period is more important than your daily schedule.
SOURCES: Us Department of Health and Human Services. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. American Academy of Family Physicians. WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with Healthwise: "Insomnia." WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with The Cleveland Clinic: "Sleep Disorders: Insomnia."