Insomniacs warned against coffee and cigarettes

Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol or caffeine is one of the worst things anyone who has trouble sleeping can do, it has been suggested.

According to Canada.com, insomniacs who are prevented from sleeping due to worry and stress in their daily lives should consume little or no caffeine after 4pm.

Likewise, in the two hours prior to their normal bedtime drinking alcohol should be avoided and they should stay clear of nicotine for four hours before attempting to go to sleep.

Anyone who eats most of their meals in the second part of the day may benefit from a light carbohydrate snack such as a biscuit and some milk just before bedtime to help promote sleep.

The website claims that insomniacs often worry that they will not be able to sleep which "causes emotional arousal that prevents the passive sleep process from occurring".

Recent research in the journal Sleep has shown that insomniacs often have a neurochemical abnormality in their brain.

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