Sleep Tips: 5 Guides To Better Night Sleep Posted by daniel in Home » Lifestyle

Feeling crabby lately? Or simply worn out? Perhaps the solution is better sleep. Think about all the factors that can interfere with a good night’s sleep — from pressure at work and family responsibilities to unexpected challenges, such as layoffs, relationship issues or illnesses. It’s no wonder that quality sleep is sometimes elusive. Although you might not be able to control all of the factors that interfere with your sleep, you can adopt habits that encourage better sleep. Start with these simple sleep tips. No. 1: Stick to a sleep schedule Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends, holidays and days off.Being consistent reinforces your body’s sleep-wake cycle and helps promote better sleep at night. There’s a caveat, though. If you don’t fall asleep within about 15 minutes, get up and dosomething relaxing. Go back to bed when you’re tired. If you agonize over falling asleep, you might find it even tougher to nod off. No. 2: Pay attentionto what you eat anddrink Don’t go to bed either hungry orstuffed. Your discomfort might keep you up. Also limit how much you drink before bed, to prevent disruptive middle-of-the-night trips to the toilet. Nicotine, caffeine and alcohol deserve caution, too. The stimulating effects of nicotine and caffeine — which take hoursto wear off — can wreak havoc with quality sleep. And even though alcohol might make you feel sleepy at first, it can disrupt sleep later in the night. No. 3: Create a bedtime ritual Do the same things each night totell your body it’s time to wind down. This might include taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book, or listening to soothing music — preferably with the lights dimmed. Relaxing activities can promote better sleep by easing the transition between wakefulness and drowsiness. Be wary of using the TV or otherelectronic devices as part of yourbedtime ritual. Some research suggests that screen time or other media use before bedtime interferes with sleep. No. 4: Get comfortable Create a room that’s ideal for sleeping. Often, this means cool, dark and quiet. Consider using room-darkening shades, earplugs, a fan or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs. Your mattress and pillow can contribute to better sleep, too. Since the features of good bedding are subjective, choose what feels most comfortable to you. If you share your bed, makesure there’s enough room for two. If you have children or pets,set limits on how often they sleep with you — or insist on separate sleeping quarters. No. 5: Limit daytimenaps Long daytime naps can interfere with nighttime sleep — especiallyif you’re struggling with insomniaor poor sleep quality at night. If you choose to nap during the day, limit yourself to about 10 to30 minutes and make it during the midafternoon. If you work nights, you’ll need tomake an exception to the rules about daytime sleeping. In this case, keep your window coverings closed so that sunlight — which adjusts your internal clock — doesn’t interrupt your daytime sleep. Source – mayoclinic.com