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Techniques For Better Sleep
By Joe Fier | June 23, 2009
Does trouble falling asleep, or tossing and turning in the middle of the night describe you? How about waking too early or finding yourself dull in the morning?
… Don’t you worry as you are not alone: millions of people fight problems of falling and staying asleep.
By improving your daytime habits and generating a better sleep environment, you can set the stage for good sleep. Making a good bedtime routine or avoiding common pitfalls by making simple changes can bring you consistently better sleep. Here are some techniques:
- You should exercise during the daytime. Regular exercise is not only good for health, but it also makes it easier to fall asleep and sleep better. If you don’t like exercising, go for a 15 minutes walk before you go to sleep.
- Some people can take a short nap and still sleep well at night. But, if you are having trouble sleeping at night, try to eliminate napping. If you must nap, don’t take long naps (over 30 minutes) during the day.
- Digestion takes away a tremendous portion of our available energy. What you eat makes a tremendous difference in how much energy you have and how much you need to sleep at night. The easiest foods to digest are fruits and vegetables. Include fruits, vegetables and nuts in your diet to improve your digestion system. Also avoid heavy fatty meals late at night. Fatty food takes a very long time to digest and takes up lots of our available energy.
- You might be shocked to know that caffeine can cause sleep problems even up to ten to twelve hours after drinking it. Don’t drink coffee, tea or any other stimulants within 6 hours of bed time.
- Before going to sleep do not watch TV in the bed. Read a book, take a bath… do something relaxing or tire yourself.
- Do not drink much of liquids before sleep; it may result in frequent bathroom trips throughout the night.
- There should be fresh air in the room (open the windows or get an air refresher).
- If you can, maintain the room temperature. Most people sleep best in a slightly cooler room.
- Do not eat at least two hours before going to bed.
- Avoid the things that may cause worry or anxiety. Try to make the time before sleep a time of peace and quiet.
- Avoid the intake of alcohol, it may make you fall asleep faster but it reduces your overall sleep quality.
- Try to maintain a regular bedtime schedule, including weekends.
- Relaxing techniques like meditation before sleep can also be very helpful.
Start following these simple tips and within one or two weeks you will feel how your sleep starts improving.
Topics: Relaxation, Sleep | 1 Comment »
July 5th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
Hi Joe – great article, and some great ideas. The idea of relaxing before bed is also a good one – “winding down” and “turning off” as it were. Having a bath, listening to some relaxation music, or even pausing for a few minutes to reflect on the positives of the day can all help. Being healthy and eating well all contribute to a good nights sleep. I find going for a walk at lunch time helps too. Thanks for sharing,
Matthew Harding
Melbourne, Australia
RelaxationMusicAustralia.com