12 BETTER SLEEP TIPS
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Establish a relaxing pre-bedtime routine. Take a hot bath, listen to soft and soothing music, enjoy warm milk or non-caffeinated herbal tea, read a book, meditate to allow the mind to unwind and relax.
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Create a comfortable, dark, restful bedroom. The bedroom should be a quiet, comfortable sanctuary, free from all distractions. Keep televisions, computers, and other distractions out of the bedroom.
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Set your thermostat between 60-68 for the optimal sleeping temperature. Maintaining a constant temperature in the house that is neither too hot nor too cool will help you sleep comfortably.
Mattress and pillows. A firm mattress and pillow can provide vital support to the body and back.
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Lights out. Keep your bedroom dark. It helps to reinforce your body’s natural rhythms, helping you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Catch some rays. Exposure to bright light, especially morning sunlight, helps your body regulate its circadian clock and stimulates your body to produce melatonin, which makes you feel sleepy at night.
Avoid eating 2-3 hours before your bedtime. Eating too close to bedtime will not only make you uncomfortable, but it can cause heartburn.
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Maintain a regular bed and wake time. Staying on a schedule for going to bed at night and waking in the morning helps the body and mind create a “circadian clock,” which will help with the onset of sleep at night.
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Avoid caffeine 6 hours before bedtime. All caffeinated beverages should be avoided if you are sensitive to caffeine.
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Exercise daily. Physical activities can help you fall asleep quickly and help you to sleep deeply. Do not exercise within three hours before your bedtime or you may have difficulty falling asleep.
Avoid nicotine. Nicotine (cigarettes and all tobacco products) is a stimulant and will keep you awake. Also, causing nicotine withdrawal causes the body to wake.
Avoid alcohol. Although alcohol is a depressant, a small glass of wine can make it more difficult to stay asleep once it begins to metabolize and causes your blood sugar to rebound.
If you change your sleep habits and it still takes you 30 minutes or longer to fall asleep each night, and you feel sluggish or tired during the day, you may have a sleep disorder and need to seek assistance from a sleep clinic or doctor. TEXAPPEALMAG.COM
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