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Falling asleep and staying asleep can be challenging for some people. Before resorting to medication, there are some tips you can use to get a good night's rest. Read on to learn how to sleep better.
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Introduction
Better sleep may seem to be just a dream if you've been suffering from insomnia for a while. Once sleep patterns are disturbed, it can be tough to get back on track. Lack of sleep has been linked to a number of different health problems, including weight gain. To fall asleep and stay asleep you'll need to set up an environment that's conducive to sleep, help your body be ready to sleep, and develop new habits. -
Step 1: Organize Your Physical Space for Sleep
To sleep well, you need an environment that's dark, quiet, comfortable, and at the right temperature.- If there are outside lights shining in your bedroom window, invest in light blocking shades
- Switch your digital alarm clock for an old fashioned type without a lighted dial, or cover the lighted side of the clock with a towel. This may sound silly, but light can reset your sleep cycle, so if you're being troubled by insomnia, all light should be avoided while trying to fall asleep.
- Turn off the TV, radio, and iPod while trying to sleep.
- Make sure your mattress is in good shape, and supports you comfortably.
- Adjust the temperature in your room so you won't get too cold or too hot during the night.
Step 2: Get Your Body Ready to Sleep
- Avoid stimulants, such as nicotine and caffeine after mid-afternoon.
- Eat an early dinner, avoiding late night snacks, so that your food is fully digested before you go to bed.
- Avoid alcohol in the evening. Even though it's sedating, it can interfere with sleep patterns.
- Consider trying a natural sleep aid, such as valerian or melatonin, for a week or two while trying to reset your sleep cycle.
Step 3: Develop Good Sleep Habits
- Ritual is helpful. Although your mother probably isn't around to tuck you in and read you a bedtime story, the same principles apply. Read, meditate, listen to calming music, or take a bath in the same order each night. The goal is to relax, an develop a set f cues that your body will associate with winding down and getting to sleep.
- Enforce a bedtime. Sleep cycles are driven by natural body rhythms. You can help your body learn when it's time to fall asleep by going to bed at the same time each night. Select a consistent bed time, and stick to it.
- Your bed is for sleeping. You want to associate your bed with falling asleep. If you're tossing and turning and get settle down, get up and do something else for a while until you are tired. Lying in bed thinking about why you can't fall asleep won't help you fall asleep then- and may cause you to view your bed as a source of stress. Get up and use one of your calming routines to relax, and try again when you're tired.
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