Healthy Sleep Tips
Well planned strategies are essential to deep, restorative sleep you can count on, night after night. Although you might not be able to control all of the factors that interfere with your sleep, you can adopt habits that encourage better sleep. Start with these simple sleep tips:
- Stick to a Sleep Schedule
- Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends, holidays, and days off. Being consistent reinforces your body’s sleep-wake cycle and helps promote better sleep at night.
- Pay Attention to What You EatÂ
- It is important to not go to bed hungry or stuffed. The discomfort might keep you up. Also limit how much you drink before bed, so you can avoid the middle-of-the-night trips to the toilet. Don’t drink caffeine as it take hours to wear off.
- Create a Bedtime Ritual
- Do the same things each night to tell your body it’s time to wind down. This can vary for everyone, for example: you could take a warm bath or shower, read a book, listen to soothing music. Relaxing activities can promote better sleep by easing the transition between wakefulness and drowsiness. Try to avoid using TV or other electronic devices as part of your bedtime ritual. Research suggests that screen time or other media use before bedtime can interfere with sleep.
- Get Comfortable
- Create a room that is ideal for sleeping. This can mean, cool, dark and quiet. Consider using room-darkening shades, earplugs a fan or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs. Your mattress and pillow can contribute to better sleep, too. Since the features of good bedding are subjective, choose what feels most comfortable to YOU. If you share beds, make sure there’s enough room for two, or if you children or pets, try to set limits on how often they sleep with you.
- Limit Daytime Naps
- Long daytime naps can interfere with nighttime sleep. If you choose to nap during the day, limit yourself to about 10 to 30 minutes and make it during the mid-afternoon. However, if you work night sifts, you’ll need to make an exception to the rules about daytime sleeping. In this case, keep your window covering closed to avoid sunlight.
- Include Physical Activity in Your Daily Routine
- Regular physical activity can promote better sleep, helping you to fall asleep faster and to enjoy deeper sleep. Timing is crucial thought, if you exercise too close to bedtime, you might be too energized to fall asleep, if this is an issue for you, then exercise earlier in the day.
- Manage Stress
- Your sleep is liekly to suffer, if have too much to do and have too much to think about. To help restore peace, consider healthy ways of managing stress. Start with the basics, such as getting organized, setting priorities and delegating tasks. Take breaks when you need one. Before bed, jot down what’s on your mind and then set it aside for tomorrow.
- Know When to Contact Your Doctor
- Nearly everyone has an occasional sleepless night, but if you often have trouble sleeping, contact your doctor. Identifying and treating underlying causes can help you get better sleep that you deserve.
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Category: Research and Statistics