This guest blog post is contributed by Boomerater, a free online resource for Baby Boomers helping you find everything from a Chicago financial advisor to family vacations. Seniors for Living contributes its senior housing properties to Boomerater’s local directories including Minnesota Alzheimer’s Care, Missouri assisted living, and more.

A new Q&A discussion from Boomerater’s forums appears here each Friday. In this week’s post, members share their solutions for insomnia.

Question: Does anyone have a good suggestion for help falling asleep besides Ambien?  I’ve also tried warm milk and honey — not bad. Any other ideas?

Reply #1: This has worked for me… a form a self-hypnosis. Get comfortable. Relax your body. Consciously check each muscle group and make sure you really are relaxed (sometimes we’re kind of tense without realizing it). Now, focus on your toes and imagine that they’re starting to get warm. Keep thinking about your toes getting warm until you can “feel” them get warmer. Then imagine that warm feeling gradually expanding to the rest of both feet. When you “feel” both feet are warm, imagine that warm feeling slowing moving up your legs, toward your knees.

Follow this process, with the warm feeling that started in your toes slowly moving up the rest of your body. Don’t let anything distract you.  You’ll be asleep before the warm feeling gets up to your belly button!

Reply #2: I was having a tough time getting to sleep and sleeping through the night. Starting a regular exercise routine has helped me a lot. I run on the treadmill (or outside if the weather is OK), and work out with light weights. I exercise early in the day; if I do it at night I find I’m too geared up to fall asleep. What you eat and drink can also affect your sleep, as can the environment (too hot, too cold, too noisy, too bright). For good info on all of sleep tips and the pros and cons of sleep medications, check out helpguide.org/life/sleep_tips.htm.

Find out what others had to say or add your own sleep solutions on Boomerater.com.