Tips and Advice to Sleep Better
at Night
Are you having trouble sleeping at night? If the research studies
are correct, quite a few people have trouble falling asleep and staying
asleep. Lack of sleep at night can lead to symptoms of sleep deprivation
during the day. Not only do you feel tired and groggy, you may find
it really difficult to get much done it all. But of course if this
is a problem that you're having, then I'm not telling you anything,
am I? With so many people having sleep difficulties, the good news
is that it's pretty easy to find tips and advice on how sleep better.
Let's take a look at what works.
Most
of the advice about sleeping better falls into four areas: your mental
state, your sleep environment, your behavior during the day and your
diet. What is it about your mental state that could affect your sleep?
If you are depressed, anxious or stressed, then there's a good chance
you will find it hard to fall asleep.
These emotions and mental attitudes tend to spill over into the nighttime
hours and interfere with our brain's ability to shift into sleep mode.
You may be able to counter mild symptoms of stress and anxiety with
relaxation techniques. More serious symptoms of depression should
be evaluated by your doctor.
Making changes to your sleeping environment can have a big impact
on your ability to sleep. This is really nothing more than making
your bedroom a more restful place in which to be. Curtains over the
windows, appropriate lighting and good temperature control are essential
to support getting a good night's sleep.
You may not want to hear this, but your behavior during the day may
be sabotaging your ability to sleep at night. For example, if you're
taking naps during the day, that could be affecting your sleep at
night. What about exercise? First of all, you should be doing it.
Second, make sure you're not exercising right before bedtime. Exercise
increases your metabolism and makes sleep difficult.
Finally, you should closely examine your diet. Avoid caffeine completely
if possible, at least until you've had some success falling asleep.
Stay away from alcohol and rich foods before bedtime. On the other
hand, a sensibly sized high carbohydrate snack could help you sleep
better.
Want to learn about the ultimate sleep experience?