10 tips for good night's sleep

10 tips for good night's sleep

Stick to a schedule. Erratic bedtimes do not allow for your body to
align to the proper circadian rhythms. Mum was right when she set a
time we always had to go to sleep as kids. Also, make sure you try
to keep the same schedule on weekends too, otherwise the next
morning, you'd wake later and feel overly tired.

Sleep only at night. Avoid daytime sleep if possible. Daytime naps
steal hours from nighttime slumber. Limit daytime sleep to 20-
minute, power naps.

Exercise. It's actually known to help you sleep better. Your body
uses the sleep period to recover its muscles and joints that have
been exercised. Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise every day can
help you sleep, but be sure to exercise in the morning or afternoon.
Exercise stimulates the body and aerobic activity before bedtime may
make falling asleep more difficult.

Taking a hot shower or bath before bed helps bring on sleep because
they can relax tense muscles.

Avoid eating just before bed. Avoid eat large meals or spicy foods
before bedtime. Give yourself at least 2 hours from when you eat to
when you sleep. This allows for digestion to happen (or at least
start) well before you go to sleep so your body can rest well during
the night, rather than churning away your food.

Avoid caffeine. It keeps you awake and that's now what you want for
a good nights sleep. We all know that.

Read a fiction book. It takes you to a whole new world if you really
get into it. And then take some time to ponder over the book as you
fall asleep. I find as I read more and more, regardless of the book,
I get more tired at night and so find it easier to fall asleep.
Different for others?

Have the room slightly cooler. I prefer this to a hot room. I prefer
to turn off the heat and allow the coolness to circulate in and out
of the windows. If I get cold, I wear warmer clothes. It also saves
on the bills as you're not going to require the heat all night long.

Sleep in silence. I find sleeping with no music or TV on more easy
and restful. I guess others are different, but sleep with no
distractions is best for a clearer mind.

Avoid alcohol before bedtime. It's a depressant; although it may
make it easier to fall asleep, it causes you to wake up during the
night. As alcohol is digested your body goes into withdrawal from
the alcohol, causing nighttime awakenings and often nightmares for
some people.