I struggle with bouts of insomnia. Right now I'm in a phase where, as exhausted as I am, I'm up through all hours of the night. Then, after I finally catch a few hours of sleep I wake up and walk through the day like a zombie. It's a crossroads of sorts; I'm either going to snap out of it and get back to my normal sleep pattern or I'm going to go into what I call "full-fledged insomnia" and get to the point where I'm not tired at all and can stay up all day and night. It's a frustrating and unhealthy disorder that seeps into all corners of your life. Several years ago my doctor prescribed sleep meds for me, but I had an unusual and uncomfortable reaction. Though my doctor assures me there are other medications that would work better for me, I've been scared of trying them. I choose to manage my insomnia by environment, exercise, and diet. Usually it works, though like right now my insomnia still can rear its ugly head from time to time.

Many celebrities have fessed up to having insomnia, too. With their fast-paced and high-stress lives, it's no wonder. Most recently, Heath Ledger died from an accidental overdose of a combination of sleep meds, an antihistamine, and two pain relievers. In the weeks prior to his death he had openly discussed how desperate he was for sleep.

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Maybe you can't sleep, and your spouse's sleeping pills look tempting. Or maybe you're due to replace those contact lenses and just can't seem to find the time to get in for an appointment. These health shortcuts may seem like they're no big deal, but sometimes taking the easy road can get you into trouble. For instance, did you know that while many foods can be safely enjoyed after their expiration date, lunch meat is one that you should definitely throw out when it's past its prime? That's because it can become contaminated with a dangerous bacteria.

Learn more about which health shortcuts are a safe gamble and which should be avoided all together by reading this article from Real Simple.

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