How to Get a Good Night's Sleep

Set a schedule. Go to bed at a set time each night and get up at the same time each morning. Disrupting this schedule may lead to insomnia. Sleeping in on weekends also makes it harder to wake up early on Monday morning because it resets your sleep cycles for a later awakening.

Exercise 20 to 30 minutes a day. Daily exercise often helps people sleep. For maximum benefit, exercise about five to six hours before going to bed. A workout soon before bedtime may interfere with sleep.

Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. Caffeine acts as a stimulant and keeps people awake. Sources of caffeine include coffee, chocolate, soft drinks, nonherbal teas, diet drugs and some pain relievers. Smokers tend to sleep lightly and often wake up in the early morning because of nicotine withdrawal. Alcohol robs people of deep sleep and REM sleep and keeps them in the lighter stages of sleep.

Relax before bed. A warm bath, reading or another relaxing routine can make it easier to fall asleep. You can train yourself to associate certain restful activities with sleep and make them part of your bedtime ritual.

Sleep until sunlight. If possible, wake up with the sun. Otherwise, use very bright lights in the morning. Sunlight helps the body’s internal biological clock reset itself each day. Sleep experts recommend exposure to an hour of morning sunlight for people who have trouble falling asleep.

Don't lie in bed awake. If you can’t get to sleep, don’t just lie in bed. Do something else, such as reading, watching television or listening to music, until you feel tired. The anxiety of being unable to fall asleep can actually contribute to insomnia.

Control your room temperature. Maintain a comfortable temperature in the bedroom. Extreme temperatures may disrupt sleep or prevent you from falling asleep.

Ask your doctor if your sleeping problem continues. If you have trouble falling asleep night after night, or if you always feel tired the next day, then you may have a sleep disorder. Your primary-care physician may be able to help you; if not, the doctor may refer you to a sleep specialist at a major hospital. Most sleep disorders can be treated effectively, so you can finally get that good night’s sleep you need.

Sleep Facts

• One-third of your life is spent sleeping.
• Many of the body’s cells show increased production and reduced breakdown of proteins during deep sleep. Because proteins are the building blocks needed for cell growth and for repair of damage from factors such as stress and ultraviolet rays, deep sleep may truly be “beauty sleep.”
• Because experts believe the body is repairing and healing itself while you sleep, dermatologists often recommend using your most active skin moisturizer before bed.
• Humans are programmed to feel two periods of sleepiness in a 24-hour cycle. The primary period extends between midnight and 7 a.m. A second, less intense period occurs between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Post a Tip or Comment