TIPS FOR A BETTER SLEEP

How to Sleep Better
Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
How you feel during your waking hours
hinges greatly on how well you sleep.

Similarly, the cure for sleep difficulties can
often be found in your daily routine. Your
sleep schedule, bedtime habits, and day-to-
day lifestyle choices can make an enormous
difference to the quality of your nightly rest.
The following tips will help you optimize
your sleep so you can be productive,
mentally sharp, emotionally balanced, and
full of energy all day long.
The secret to getting good sleep every
night
Well-planned strategies are essential to
deep, restorative sleep you can count on,
night after night. By learning to avoid
common enemies of sleep and trying out a
variety of healthy sleep-promoting
techniques, you can discover your personal
prescription to a good night’s rest.
The key, or secret, is to experiment. What
works for some might not work as well for
others. It’s important to find the sleep
strategies that work best for you.
The first step to improving the quality of
your rest is finding out how much sleep you
need. How much sleep is enough? While
sleep requirements vary slightly from person
to person, most healthy adults need at
least eight hours of sleep each night to
function at their best.
How to sleep better tip 1: Keep a
regular sleep schedule
Getting in sync with your body’s natural
sleep-wake cycle—your circadian rhythm—is
one of the most important strategies for
achieving good sleep. If you keep a regular
sleep schedule, going to bed and getting up
at the same time each day, you will feel
much more refreshed and energized than if
you sleep the same number of hours at
different times. This holds true even if you
alter your sleep schedule by only an hour or
two. Consistency is vitally important.
Set a regular bedtime. Go to bed at the
same time every night. Choose a time
when you normally feel tired, so that you
don’t toss and turn. Try not to break
this routine on weekends when it may be
tempting to stay up late. If you want to
change your bedtime, help your body
adjust by making the change in small
daily increments, such as 15 minutes
earlier or later each day.
Wake up at the same time every day. If
you’re getting enough sleep, you should
wake up naturally without an alarm. If
you need an alarm clock to wake up on
time, you may need to set an earlier
bedtime. As with your bedtime, try to
maintain your regular wake-time even
on weekends.
Nap to make up for lost sleep. If you
need to make up for a few lost hours,
opt for a daytime nap rather than
sleeping late. This strategy allows you
to pay off your sleep debt without
disturbing your natural sleep-wake
rhythm, which often backfires in
insomnia and throws you off for days.
Be smart about napping. While taking a
nap can be a great way to recharge,
especially for older adults, it can make
insomnia worse. If insomnia is a
problem for you, consider eliminating
napping. If you must nap, do it in the
early afternoon, and limit it to thirty
minutes.
Fight after-dinner drowsiness. If you find
yourself getting sleepy way before your
bedtime, get off the couch and do
something mildly stimulating to avoid
falling asleep, such as washing the
dishes, calling a friend, or getting
clothes ready for the next day. If you
give in to the drowsiness, you may wake
up later in the night and have trouble
getting back to sleep.
Discovering your optimal sleep
schedule
Find a period of time (a week or two
should do) when you are free to
experiment with different sleep and
wake times. Go to bed at the same
time every night and allow yourself to
sleep until you wake up naturally. No
alarm clocks! If you’re sleep deprived,
it may take a few weeks to fully
recover. But as you go to bed and get
up at the same time, you’ll eventually
land on the natural sleep schedule
that works best for you.
How to sleep better tip 2: Naturally
regulate your sleep-wake cycle
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone
controlled by light exposure that helps
regulate your sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin
production is controlled by light exposure.
Your brain should secrete more in the
evening, when it’s dark, to make you sleepy,
and less during the day when it’s light and
you want to stay awake and alert. However,
many aspects of modern life can disrupt
your body’s natural production of melatonin
and with it your sleep-wake cycle.
Spending long days in an office away from
natural light, for example, can impact your
daytime wakefulness and make your brain
sleepy. Then bright lights at night—
especially from hours spent in front of the
TV or computer screen—can suppress your
body’s production of melatonin and make it
harder to sleep. However, there are ways for
you to naturally regulate your sleep-wake
cycle, boost your body’s production of
melatonin, and keep your brain on a healthy
schedule.
Increase light exposure during the day
Remove your sunglasses in the morning
and let light onto your face.
Spend more time outside during
daylight. Try to take your work breaks
outside in sunlight, exercise outside, or
walk your dog during the day instead of
at night.
Let as much light into your home/
workspace as possible. Keep curtains
and blinds open during the day, and try
to move your desk closer to the window.
If necessary, use a light therapy box. A
light therapy box can simulate sunshine
and can be especially useful during
short winter days when there’s limited
daylight.
Boost melatonin production at night
Turn off your television and computer.
Many people use the television to fall
asleep or relax at the end of the day,
and this is a mistake. Not only does the
light suppress melatonin production, but
television can actually stimulate the
mind, rather than relaxing it. Try
listening to music or audio books
instead, or practicing relaxation
exercises. If your favorite TV show is on
late at night, record it for viewing earlier
in the day.
Don’t read from a backlit device at night
(such as an iPad). If you use a portable
electronic device to read, use an eReader
that is not backlit, i.e. one that requires
an additional light source such as a
bedside lamp.
Change your bright light bulbs. Avoid
bright lights before bed, use low-wattage
bulbs instead.
When it’s time to sleep, make sure the
room is dark. The darker it is, the better
you’ll sleep. Cover electrical displays,
use heavy curtains or shades to block
light from windows, or try a sleep mask
to cover your eyes.
Use a flashlight to go to the bathroom at
night. If you wake up during the night to
use the bathroom—as long as it’s safe
to do so—keep the light to a minimum
so it will be easier to go back to sleep.
How to sleep better tip 3: Create a
relaxing bedtime routine
If you make a consistent effort to relax and
unwind before bed, you will sleep easier and
more deeply. A peaceful bedtime routine
sends a powerful signal to your brain that
it’s time to wind down and let go of the
day’s stresses.
Make your bedroom more sleep friendly
Keep noise down. If you can’t avoid or
eliminate noise from barking dogs, loud
neighbors, city traffic, or other people in
your household, try masking it with a
fan, recordings of soothing sounds, or
white noise. You can buy a special
sound machine or generate your own
white noise by setting your radio
between stations. Earplugs may also
help.
Keep your room cool. The temperature of
your bedroom also affects sleep. Most
people sleep best in a slightly cool room
(around 65° F or 18° C) with adequate
ventilation. A bedroom that is too hot or
too cold can interfere with quality sleep.
Make sure your bed is comfortable. You
should have enough room to stretch and
turn comfortably. If you often wake up
with a sore back or an aching neck, you
may need to invest in a new mattress or
a try a different pillow. Experiment with
different levels of mattress firmness,
foam or egg crate toppers, and pillows
that provide more or less support.
Reserve your bed for sleeping and sex
If you associate your bed with events like
work or errands, it will be harder to wind
down at night. Use your bed only for sleep
and sex. That way, when you go to bed,
your body gets a powerful cue: it’s time to
either nod off or be romantic.
How to sleep better tip 4: Eat right
and get regular exercise
Your daytime eating and exercise habits
play a role in how well you sleep. It’s
particularly important to watch what you
put in your body in the hours leading up to
your bedtime.
Stay away from big meals at night. Try
to make dinnertime earlier in the
evening, and avoid heavy, rich foods
within two hours of bed. Fatty foods take
a lot of work for your stomach to digest
and may keep you up. Also be cautious
when it comes to spicy or acidic foods in
the evening, as they can cause stomach
trouble and heartburn.
Avoid alcohol before bed. Many people
think that a nightcap before bed will
help them sleep, but it's
counterintuitive. While it may make you
fall asleep faster, alcohol reduces your
sleep quality, waking you up later in the
night. To avoid this effect, stay away
from alcohol in the hours before bed.
Cut down on caffeine. You might be
surprised to know that caffeine can
cause sleep problems up to ten to twelve
hours after drinking it! Consider
eliminating caffeine after lunch or
cutting back your overall intake.
Avoid drinking too many liquids in the
evening. Drinking lots of water, juice,
tea, or other fluids may result in frequent
bathroom trips throughout the night.
Caffeinated drinks, which act as
diuretics, only make things worse.
Quit smoking. Smoking causes sleep
troubles in numerous ways. Nicotine is
a stimulant, which disrupts sleep, plus
smokers experience nicotine withdrawal
as the night progresses, making it hard
to sleep.
You’ll also sleep more deeply if you
exercise regularly. You don’t have to be a
star athlete to reap the benefits—as little as
20 to 30 minutes of daily activity helps.
And you don’t need to do all 30 minutes in
one session. You can break it up into five
minutes here, 10 minutes there, and still get
the benefits. Try a brisk walk, a bicycle ride,
or even gardening or housework.
Some people prefer to schedule exercise in
the morning or early afternoon as
exercising too late in the day can stimulate
the body, raising its temperature. Even if
you prefer not to exercise vigorously at
night, don’t feel glued to the couch, though.
Relaxing exercises such as yoga or gentle
stretching can help promote sleep.
How to sleep better tip 5: Get anxiety
and stress in check
Do you find yourself unable to sleep or
waking up night after night? Residual
stress, worry, and anger from your day can
make it very difficult to sleep well. When
you wake up or can’t get to sleep, take note
of what seems to be the recurring theme.
That will help you figure out what you need
to do to get your stress and anger under
control during the day.
If you can’t stop yourself from worrying,
especially about things outside your
control, you need to learn how to manage
your thoughts. For example, you can learn
to evaluate your worries to see if they’re
truly realistic and replace irrational fears
with more productive thoughts. Even
counting sheep is more productive than
worrying at bedtime.
If the stress of managing work, family, or
school is keeping you awake, you may need
help with stress management. By learning
how to manage your time effectively, handle
stress in a productive way, and maintain a
calm, positive outlook, you’ll be able to
sleep better at night.
Relaxation techniques for better sleep
Relaxation is beneficial for everyone, but
especially for those struggling with sleep.
Practicing relaxation techniques before bed
is a great way to wind down, calm the
mind, and prepare for sleep. Some simple
relaxation techniques include:
Deep breathing. Close your eyes, and try
taking deep, slow breaths, making each
breath even deeper than the last.
Progressive muscle relaxation. Starting
with your toes, tense all the muscles as
tightly as you can, then completely
relax. Work your way up from your feet
to the top of your head.
Visualizing a peaceful, restful place.
Close your eyes and imagine a place or
activity that is calming and peaceful for
you. Concentrate on how relaxed this
place or activity makes you feel.
How to sleep better tip 6: Ways to get
back to sleep
It’s normal to wake briefly during the night.
In fact, a good sleeper won’t even remember
it. But if you’re waking up during the night
and having trouble falling back asleep, the
following tips may help.
Stay out of your head. The key to
getting back to sleep is continuing to
cue your body for sleep, so remain in
bed in a relaxed position. Hard as it
may be, try not to stress over the fact
that you’re awake or your inability to
fall asleep again, because that very
stress and anxiety encourages your body
to stay awake. A good way to stay out
of your head is to focus on the feelings
and sensations in your body.
Make relaxation your goal, not sleep. If
you find it hard to fall back asleep, try a
relaxation technique such as
visualization, deep breathing, or
meditation, which can be done without
even getting out of bed. Remind yourself
that although they’re not a replacement
for sleep, rest and relaxation still help
rejuvenate your body.
Do a quiet, non-stimulating activity. If
you’ve been awake for more than 15
minutes, try getting out of bed and
doing a quiet, non-stimulating activity,
such as reading a book. Keep the lights
dim so as not to cue your body clock
that it’s time to wake up. Also avoid
screens of any kind—computers, TV, cell
phones, iPads—as the type of light they
emit is stimulating to the brain. A light
snack or herbal tea might help relax
you, but be careful not to eat so much
that your body begins to expect a meal
at that time of the day.
Postpone worrying and brainstorming. If
you wake during the night feeling
anxious about something, make a brief
note of it on paper and postpone
worrying about it until the next day
when you are fresh and it will be easier
to resolve. Similarly, if a brainstorm or
great idea is keeping you awake, make a
note of it on paper and fall back to sleep
knowing you’ll be much more productive
and creative after a good night’s rest.
How to sleep better tip 7: Cope with
shift work sleep disorder
A disrupted sleep schedule caused by
working nights or irregular shifts can lead
to sleepiness in the work place, affect your
mood, energy, and concentration, and
increase your risk of accidents, injuries, and
work-related mistakes. Shift workers tend to
suffer from two problems: sleeping at home
during the day and staying awake at work
during the night. To avoid or limit these
problems:
Limit the number of night or irregular
shifts you work in a row to prevent sleep
deprivation from mounting up. If that’s
not possible, avoid rotating shifts
frequently so you can maintain the same
sleep schedule.
Avoid a long commute that reduces
sleep time. Also, the more time you
spend traveling home in daylight, the
more awake you’ll become and the
harder you’ll find it to get to sleep.
Drink caffeinated drinks early in your
shift, but avoid them close to bedtime.
Take frequent breaks and use them to
move around as much as possible—take
a walk, stretch, or even exercise if
possible.
Adjust your sleep-wake schedule and
your body’s natural production of
melatonin. Expose yourself to bright
light when you wake up at night, use
bright lamps or daylight-simulation
bulbs in your workplace, and then wear
dark glasses on your journey home to
block out sunlight and encourage
sleepiness.
Eliminate noise and light from your
bedroom during the day. Use blackout
curtains or a sleep mask, turn off the
phone, and use ear plugs or a soothing
sound machine to block out daytime
noise.
Make sleep a priority at the weekends or
on your nonworking days so you can
pay off your sleep debt.
How to sleep better tip 8: Know when
to see a sleep doctor
If you’ve tried the tips above and are still
struggling with sleep problems, you may
have a sleep disorder that requires
professional treatment. Consider scheduling
a visit with a sleep doctor if, despite your
best efforts at self–help, you are still
troubled by any of the following symptoms:
Persistent daytime sleepiness or fatigue
Loud snoring accompanied by pauses in
breathing
Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
Unrefreshing sleep
Frequent morning headaches
Crawling sensations in your legs or arms
at night
Inability to move while falling asleep or
waking up
Physically acting out dreams during
sleep
Falling asleep at inappropriate times