How can I help prevent insomnia? Practice good sleep hygiene: • Establish a regular bedtime and wake-up time and stick to them even on weekends. • Avoid taking naps. • Exercise regularly during the day. Avoid exercising in the evening. • Keep light levels very low after sunset and keep the bedroom very dark. • Keep the bedroom at a cool temperature. • Use the bed only for sleep and sex, not for reading or watching television. • Go to bed when you are drowsy and get up when you are wide awake. • Avoid caffeine, other stimulants, cigarettes, and alcohol. (If you smoke, try to quit smoking entirely. Cutting back on smoking without quitting may lead to nicotine withdrawal in the middle of the night that awakens you.) • Learn to use relaxation exercises. • Meditate for 20 minutes before you go to bed. • Read something light or entertaining just before you go to bed, to get your mind off the day's troubles. • Consider having white noise in the background, such as a fan blowing. • Try not to focus on falling asleep. For example, don't keep checking the clock and worry about why you are not asleep yet. If you are awake for more than 20 minutes, leave the bed and do not go back to bed until you are ready to sleep. • Try to reduce stress in your life by changing the things that cause stress. • Keep a "to do" journal. Before you go to bed, write down all the things you are worrying about. Then write down what you can do tomorrow. Mark the other things as things to do later in the week. This will help clear your mind of worry.