Self-help program

One of the best ways to increase the amount of sleep and improve sleep quality is to increase the amount of physical activity. Exercise makes you fall asleep faster and spend more time in deep sleep. You will also feel more alert in the daytime.

• To maximize the benefits on sleep, the best form of exercise is anything moderately strenuous that lasts for approximately one hour. The activity should make you sweat and get out of breath.
• Avoid high-intensity exercise just before bedtime, however, as it will increase your alertness level. Good forms of pre-bedtime exercise include leisurely walking and stretching.
• Adding more exercise to your routine should be done gradually, and it is important that you find the right form of exercise for you.
• Even just increasing your daily step count has a positive effect on sleep.

Try to think of a sleep-friendly form of exercise that you enjoy.

Caffeine artificially excites the nervous system and can interfere with sleep patterns. Caffeine is found in beverages such as tea, coffee, energy drinks and cola. Consuming caffeine makes it more difficult to fall asleep, causes nocturnal awakenings and reduces the amount of deep sleep.

The recommendation for people with insomnia is to reduce caffeine intake and to avoid consuming caffeine too close to bedtime. Quitting caffeine altogether may not be a bad idea either.

Think about the role of caffeine in your life and your relationship with it. What kinds of changes could help you to reduce your caffeine use? Could you, for example, limit yourself to only consuming caffeine in the morning?

Reducing smoking or stopping smoking altogether is known to alleviate insomnia. Nicotine in large quantities can make you feel more alert. Withdrawal symptoms that start while you are still asleep are also likely to disturb your sleep.

We recommend avoiding alcohol and drugs altogether.

Some people drink a nightcap to help them fall asleep. Alcohol can indeed make you fall asleep more quickly, but alcohol should not be viewed as a sleeping aid. Even a small amount of alcohol has a negative effect on sleep quality. It reduces overall sleep time and leads to broken sleep.

Alcohol also worsens sleep apnea symptoms and increases nocturnal leg movement.

Eating at regular intervals is important for a regular sleep–wake cycle. You should aim to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as between one and three snacks every day.

Make sure to eat enough in the evening to stop you from getting hungry in the night. Avoid overeating, however. It is also worth regulating how much you drink in the evening so that you do not have to get up for the toilet in the night.