If you're waking very early in the morning and after only five or six hours' sleep, talk to your doctor.
S/he will be able to help you work out the reasons for that phenomenon.
It is sometimes linked to being in a depressive state, but that is by no means always the case.
In this article I'm offering you five gentle suggestions that will help you sleep better.
They're not rules, and if you have much better ideas, please let me know.
1.
Avoid alcohol.
Many, many people use alcohol to unwind, relax, calm down.
And please don't worry.
I'm not going to say that you must ban it from your life.
I will let you know some irrefutable facts about alcohol.
First, it raises your blood sugar levels causing adrenaline and cortisol to be released.
You'll know from your other reading that cortisol could be re-named super-stress-plus.
Anyone who has anxiety or insomnia needs to minimise the body's production of cortisol.
Alcohol stops tryptophan being transported to your brain.
Tryptophan is transformed into serotonin which is responsible for your sense of calm and relaxation and your happy mood.
Yes, a glass of wine makes you feel more relaxed but if you want to enjoy alcohol, be sure that you do two things.

First, have three alcohol-free days each week.

Secondly, have your last alcoholic drink at least three hours before going to bed.

2: Have a calming drink at bedtime Orange tea or camomile tea are not exactly up there with Champagne.
For a restful night's sleep, camomile has a calming effect on your digestive tract and your whole being.
I won't insult your intelligence by telling you that it's really a total no-no (and another no) to even think about having a co--ee, or any drink containing caffeine.
The most calming drink is warm water.
If you've never tried it, do.
You'll love it.
A glass of warm milk has been shown to help with insomnia but that needs another whole article.
3: Try some vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements There are herbal supplements that are an aid to relaxation without being harmful or addictive.
Please remember that just because they're natural, doesn't mean that you don't have to be careful about dosage.
If you're on any other medication, or if you have an ongoing medical condition, please check with your treating Physician.
The first among those is L-Theanine.
Research shows that in addition to aiding relaxation, it improves learning performance, heightening mental acuity, and promoting concentration.
L-theanine is found in green tea but I prefer to take it as a capsule.
Green tea, though good for you, has caffeine in it and too much of it means trips to the bathroom.
Other herbs known to aid in the body's response to life in the 21st century - are Passion Flower, Ginkgo Biloba, Schizandra, Chamomile Extract, Jujube Seed, L-Glutamine and Inositol.
Talk to your healthcare professional about any or all of these natural remedies.
Magnesium, found in wholegrain flour and cereal seeds, helps fight stress.
It's absolutely vital for any of you who have to endure muscle cramps.
Among the vitamins that help you de-stress B group vitamins are top of the list.
Nuts, cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli) salmon, beans, lentils, pulses, bran, wheatgerm, and all green leafy vegetables will supply all the vitamin B you need.
4.
Say 'good-bye' to your day in a positive way Your thoughts are a huge part of your feeling state.
Just remembering past occasions when you felt anxious are often enough to trigger, as if by magic, those same anxiety symptoms.
You may have legitimate reasons to be worried about something, please find a way to set it aside at bedtime.
Even saying to yourself or your partner,"I won't think about X or Y this evening"is a good start.
It's also a good idea to sit for a few minutes, and just jot down at least three things for which you are grateful in the day that is just closing.
If you put effort into thinking about three (or more) things for which you're grateful, you'd be surprised at how special your mundane life will seem when you re-read those notes a few months later.
If you can't think of three things, there will always be at least one, because life itself is an argument for gratitude.
At the closing of the day, spending a little time reliving the good, funny, uplifting, encouraging things in your day will help you sleep like a baby.
5: Plan your day ahead Write brief notes about the main things you need to get done the next day.
That way, you can feel that you're not going to forget anything major, and your mind won't be engrossed trying to think about those tasks.
Whatever your work, paid and unpaid, it's a calming strategy to jot down any tasks you absolutely must get done the following day.
Then you can leave them until that time.
The best way to get a good night's sleep is to make sure that you're in bed and asleep by 10pm.
The two hours before midnight are better quality sleep than any number after midnight.