13 Tips to Sleep Well
Tips for Better Sleep
Courtesy of Prevention
Sleep Like a Baby
Follow these tips to help ensure that your time between the sheets leaves you feeling refreshed and renewed.
Make breakfast your heaviest meal of the day.
Digesting food takes energy, so if you eat a heavy meal late in the day, your body will have to work hard to digest it while you're trying to go to sleep. Many people sleep better if they have protein at breakfast and lunch, and a light dinner with some carbohydrates.
Cut back on the sleep robbers.
Cut out caffeine after 2:00 p.m., and refrain from drinking alcohol within 3 hours of bedtime. You may become drowsy after a couple of glasses of wine, but too much alcohol will make you wake up frequently during the night. In addition, although coffee is the most obvious source of caffeine, don't forget that there's also caffeine in colas, chocolate, tea, and some medications.
Go toward the light.
Get outside when it's sunny, or at least turn on the lights at home in the morning. This will help you reset your awake-sleep cycle.
Drink like a fish.
Even mild dehydration--losing as little as 1/2 cup of body water--could turn into low-grade chronic fatigue. Drink eight to ten 8-ounce glasses of water a day, and add four to six more glasses when you exercise. To prevent unnecessary trips to the bathroom at night, empty your bladder before going to sleep, and don't drink more than 4 ounces within an hour of going to bed.
Exercise earlier in the day.
Regular exercise first energizes, then relaxes you. So if you start doing calisthenics or aerobics right before bed, nerve-stimulating hormones will be released and will raise your body's core temperature, preventing you from falling asleep. Exercise--but do it earlier in the day.
Walk into sleep.
You don't have to walk far to get sleep-enhancing benefits. People who walked at least six blocks a day at a normal pace were one-third less likely to have trouble sleeping, according to one study of more than 700 men and women. Those who picked up the pace had even better sleeping habits. You get the same benefits with walking that you'd get by taking sleep medication--but without the medication's side effects, such as grogginess, increased snoring, risk of sleep apnea, and possible addiction.
Take a nap.
It's okay to nap, especially if you didn't sleep well last night. Research has found that people who nap for 15 minutes feel more alert and less sleepy, even after a bad night's sleep.
Go to bed only when you're sleepy.
If you can't fall asleep within 15 to 20 minutes, get up and leave your bedroom. Go into the living room and read until you're tired again. Or sit in a chair and think pleasant thoughts: a dream vacation, standing by a waterfall. This should help calm you so that you can return to bed and sleep.
Move the television out of your bedroom.
Your bed and bedroom are for sleep and sex. That's it. No reading. No talking on the telephone. No worrying.
Where Does it Hurt?
If you're experiencing aches and pains we can help you find answers. Find out what your symptoms mean for your health.
Recent Comments
Gerry924 02:52:00 AM May 12 2008
Sleeping positions: Try putting a pillow between your knees to eliminate or relieve lower back pain/strain. a Hot bath will sooth aches and pains in the legs as well as stretching your calves and hamstrings. Besides the usual herbal treatments, lastly try a small exercise that requires you to lie on the floor with a pillow under your head, knees bent up and feet on the floor. Force the pelvis into the floor. Try to meditate on the area that is "sore" it should relax on it's own. Avoid chocolate alcohol and examine what the stress factors may be in your life.
Try sleeping on a different bed and in different head positions as to North, South, east and west. Get a massage late in the day and go home.
Whitdiane1 01:29:41 AM May 12 2008
Does anyone know any good positions to help, or improve a bad back? Thanks for your input.
Whitdiane1 01:28:43 AM May 12 2008
Does anyone know the best poitions to sleep in to help, or improve a bad back? Thanks for your suggestions.
ParkerCoon 12:55:55 AM May 12 2008
If I eat to much late at night it will probally take me 30 min. to 1 hr to fall asleep. DON'T MAKE MY MISTAKE!
Ttrfrancisco 12:44:50 AM May 12 2008
Trouble sleeping? Aching joints? Try VEMMA Shots..........Works for me......
Go to www.myvemma.com
Theresa in North Palm Beach
Fayzee32 12:34:25 AM May 12 2008
The thing that works for me 90% of the time is to get out of bed go to the frige and drink a small glass of MILK. Should work either warm or cold.
AliEmm7 11:31:39 PM May 11 2008
I TRY TO SOLVE A SUDOKO PUZZLE AND I PUTS ME TO SLEEOP LIKE MAGIC
bronwynkf 11:14:06 PM May 11 2008
The tip to remove TV from your bedroom is one of the most important keys to sleep better. I have found that having bad dreams affect the quality and length of my sleep. Beside the obvious reason which is watching an interesting movie you just can't seem to turn off, my boyfriend noticed that my nightmares and vigorous movements are related to what was on last before I fell asleep. I have frequent nightmares but he noticed that I scream, cry, and kick if a scarey movie, crime sitcom, or the news was on before I fell asleep.
