Fri, 17th November, 2017
7 Tips for Better Sleep Tonight
‘Sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.’
It’s common knowledge now, that getting good quality sleep plays a key role in maintaining our health and wellbeing. Though there are many sleep problems - such as sleep apnea - that require medical treatment, there are simple steps we can take to overcome general sleep difficulties right now!
Regular aerobic exercise like walking, running, or swimming, helps your body fall asleep faster, get more deep sleep, and awaken less during the night.
2.
Limit prolonged daytime naps.
Prolonged napping can disrupt your natural sleep-cycle and can prevent you from feeling tired enough to fall asleep.
3.
Stick to a consistent sleep schedule.
Prolonged napping can disrupt your natural sleep-cycle and can prevent you from feeling tired enough to fall asleep.
Your body is smarter than you think, and is “trainable” through habits. In establishing a regular, relaxing bedtime routine, you can teach your mind and body to associate these activities with bedtime, and it can start getting prepared for sleep.
5.
Improve your bedroom environment.
An ideal environment is dark, quiet, and relatively cool. Also important is a comfortable bed, as well as a minimally cluttered room.
6.
Avoid any kind of blue-light emitting devices before bed.
Know this is a hard one, but avoid using phones, computers, or televisions in your bedroom. These devices emit blue light, which your body associates with daylight, and will signal your body to wake up. So avoid these at all costs - you want to reinforce the idea that your bed is a place meant for sleeping.
7.
Can’t sleep after 20 minutes in bed, get up!
If you’re still awake after about 20 minutes in bed, try getting up and reading to relax (and don't pick up that phone!). Otherwise, you’ll set yourself up for tossing and turning. Remember you want to train your body and mind to associate your bed as a place for sleep.
KEYWORD: sleep medicine, sleep, medicine
