| Tips for a
Good Night Sleep
Set a schedule:
- Go to bed at a set time each night and get up at
the same time each morning.
- Disrupting this schedule may lead to insomnia.
"Sleeping in" on weekends also makes it
harder to wake up early on Monday morning because
it re-sets your sleep cycles for a later awakening.
Exercise:
- Try to exercise 20 to 30 minutes a day. Daily exercise
often helps people sleep, although a workout soon
before bedtime may interfere with sleep. For maximum
benefit, try to get your exercise about 5 to 6 hours
before going to bed.
Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol:
- Avoid drinks that contain caffeine, which acts
as a stimulant and keeps people awake. Sources of
caffeine include coffee, chocolate, soft drinks, non-herbal
teas, diet drugs, and some pain relievers. Smokers
tend to sleep very lightly and often wake up in the
early morning due to nicotine withdrawal. Alcohol
robs people of deep sleep and REM sleep and keeps
them in the lighter stages of sleep.
Relax before bed:
- A warm bath, reading, or another relaxing routine
can make it easier to fall sleep. You can train yourself
to associate certain restful activities with sleep
and make them part of your bedtime ritual.
Sleep until sunlight:
- If possible, wake up with the sun, or use very
bright lights in the morning. Sunlight helps the body's
internal biological clock reset itself each day. Sleep
experts recommend exposure to an hour of morning sunlight
for people having problems falling asleep.
Don't lie in bed awake:
- If you can't get to sleep, don't just lie in bed.
Do something else, like reading, watching television,
or listening to music, until you feel tired. The anxiety
of being unable to fall asleep can actually contribute
to insomnia.
Control your room temperature:
- Maintain a comfortable temperature in the bedroom.
Extreme temperatures may disrupt sleep or prevent
you from falling asleep.
See a doctor if you're sleeping problem continues:
- If you have trouble falling asleep night after
night, or if you always feel tired the next day, then
you may have a sleep disorder and should see a physician.
Your primary care physician may be able to help you;
if not, you can probably find a sleep specialist at
a major hospital near you. Most sleep disorders can
be treated effectively, so you can finally get that
good night's sleep you need.
About the Author
Chris Read, An associated editor to Hateweight.com.
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