| 5 Keys to Better Sleep
by: Patricia Wagner
Do you have trouble getting a good night's sleep?
What you are about to read may make a huge difference to
your future health! Being well rested is essential to our
wellbeing and is a major key in living an energetic lifestyle.
Here are some of the benefits of a good night's sleep: -
You will look and feel your best. - Relating to others will
come easier with enough rest. - You'll be a safer driver and
be less likely to fall asleep at the wheel. - More alertness
and creativity on the job will be a major benefit. - You'll
feel less stressed. - There'll be an increased ability to
fight off illness. - You'll enjoy life more.
Here are some keys to getting a better night's sleep:
1. Set your body clock.
Choose a bedtime schedule by deciding how many hours of shut-eye
you need and try to stick with it. That's because we are all
creatures of habit.
Try not to oversleep too often because this tends to throw
your body clock off. If you are tired, try taking a short
nap. However, it should not be longer than about one half
an hour because more time than that and you will wind up not
being able to fall asleep that night.
2. Be wise about eating and drinking.
Drinking too much fluid in the late afternoon and evening
can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night to trot
off to the bathroom. Also consuming food and beverages that
contain caffeine before bedtime can cause you to toss and
turn for hours. So it would be wise to avoid coffee, tea,
soft drinks and chocolate before going to bed. However, a
hot non-caffeinated drink can relax you.
3. Prepare your sleeping environment.
You have control over a number of factors in your sleeping
environment that will make or break a good night's sleep.
One of them is the temperature of your bedroom. Adjust the
temperature of your bedroom so it's conducive to sleeping.
It's usually best to have your room a little on the cool side,
but be sure you have enough blankets on your bed.
Another environmental issue is the darkness of our bedrooms.
Many people prefer sleeping when it's totally dark, so turn
off the lights except for night lights.
A key bedroom environment factor is your bed. Purchase the
best mattress you can afford since you'll spend a large proportion
of your life on it.
Quietness is very important to our rest. Try to keep the
noise down. If that's impossible, consider using ear plugs.
Play calming music and avoid watching television just before
bedtime. Violent scenes can lead to sleeplessness and violent
dreams!
Design your bedroom to be a peaceful sanctuary in your home.
Separate your work from the bedroom area so your body knows
the bedroom is a place to rest - not work.
4. Prepare yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually
for bedtime.
There are a number of steps you can take before going to
bed to prepare yourself physically. Slowly stretching before
hitting the sack can help you relax. Regular exercise during
the day will enhance your ability to fall asleep. Taking a
warm bath - not a shower - can be helpful too. If you are
still tense, a back massage can help you relax. Wear comfortable
nonbinding clothing.
Here's the most important thing you can do once you've hit
the sack - let go of the day's worries. Bedtime is a bad time
to dwell on problems since worry can keep you tossing and
turning for hours! I've found that reading the Bible and praying
before going to bed is a wonderful way to end the day. Then
I can truly relax and lay down my problems. My sleep is much
sweeter and so are my dreams!
5. Seek specialized help if needed.
A medical condition could be preventing you from getting
your full rest at night. See your doctor if you have continuing
difficulty with falling asleep. Usually it's not wise to take
sleeping pills since they can become addictive. They also
interfere with the body's own inner sleeping rhythm.
Here are three organizations that offer specialized help:
National Sleep Foundation http://www.sleepfoundation.org/about.cfm
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine http://www.aasmnet.org/
National Center on Sleep Disorders Research http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/ncsdr/index.htm
The suggestions in this article have been listed to help
you get a better night's sleep. Now try putting them into
practice and enjoy a more rested and energetic lifestyle.
Pleasant dreams!
Copyright ©2004 by Patricia Wagner
About The Author
Patricia Wagner offers informative tips on living a more
energetic lifestyle at http://www.a-to-z-wellness.com
and through her free "A to Z Health Tips" newsletter.
Email: wagner.art@verizon.net
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