Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
When it comes to
sleep, it’s not just quantity that matters—it’s quality. How you feel during
your waking hours hinges greatly on how well you sleep. Similarly, the cure for
daytime fatigue and 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.
How to sleep better
tip 1: Support your body's natural rhythms
Getting in sync with your body’s natural sleep-wake
cycle, or 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.
- Try to go to sleep and get
up at the same time every day. Sticking to a consistent
sleep-wake schedule helps set your body’s internal clock and optimize the
quality of your sleep. Start by setting a realistic bedtime that will work
with your lifestyle. Choose a time when you normally feel tired, so that
you don’t toss and turn. 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.
- Avoid sleeping in—even on
weekends or nights you’ve stayed up late. It can be
tempting to sleep in on weekends, but even a couple hour difference in
wake time disrupts your internal clock. The more your weekend/weekday
sleep schedules differ, the worse the jetlag-like symptoms you’ll
experience. If you need to make up for a late night, opt for a daytime nap
rather than sleeping in. 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. As
mentioned above, napping is a good way to recharge and make up for lost
sleep hours. But if you tend to have trouble falling asleep or staying
asleep throughout the night, napping can make things worse. If insomnia is
a problem for you, consider eliminating naps altogether or limiting them
to 15 to 20 minutes in the early afternoon.
- 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.
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone controlled by
light exposure that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle. Your brain secretes
more melatonin when it’s dark—making you sleepy—and less when it’s light—making
you more alert. However, many aspects of modern life can alter your body’s
natural production of melatonin and shift your circadian rhythm.
Spending long days in an office away from natural light,
for example, can impact your daytime wakefulness and make your brain sleepy.
While bright lights at night—especially from exposure to energy-efficient LED
lights and TV and computer screens—can make your body think that it’s time to
wake up. Here’s what you can do to keep your hormones and sleep-wake cycle on
track.
During the day:
- Expose yourself to bright
sunlight in the morning. The closer
to the time you get up, the better. Have your coffee outside, for example,
or eat breakfast by a sunny window. Skip the sunglasses! The light on your
face will help you wake up and feel more alert.
- 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 natural light
into your home or 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 simulates sunshine
and can be especially useful during short winter days when there’s limited
daylight.
At night:
- Avoid bright screens
within 2 hours of your bedtime. All nighttime light can
interfere with sleep and your body’s rhythms, but the blue light emitted
by electronics is especially disruptive. This includes the screen on your
phone, tablet, computer, or TV. You can minimize the impact by using
devices with smaller screens, turning the brightness down, or using
light-altering software such as f.lux that adjusts the color of your
display.
- Say no to late-night
television. Many
people use the television to wind down at the end of the day, but this can
backfire. Not only does the light suppress melatonin, but many programs
are stimulating rather than relaxing. Try listening to music or audio
books instead. If your favorite TV show is on late at night, record it for
viewing earlier in the day.
- Be smart about nighttime
reading. Not all e-readers are created equal. Devices
that are backlit, such as the Kindle Fire or the iPad, are more disruptive
than those that are illuminated from the front, such as the Kindle
Paperwhite or Nook GlowLight. Other smart options include e-ink readers
that don’t have their own light source and good old-fashioned books.
- When it’s time to sleep,
make sure the room is dark. The darker it is, the better
you’ll sleep. Use heavy curtains or shades to block light from windows, or
try a sleep mask to cover your eyes. Also consider covering up or moving
any electronics that emit light. Even the red numbers on a digital clock
can disrupt sleep.
- Keep the lights down if
you get up during the night. If you need to get up during
the night, avoid turning on the lights if possible. If you need some light
to move around safely, try installing a dim nightlight in the hall or
bathroom or using a small flashlight. This will make it easier for you to fall
back to sleep.
Studies show that regular exercisers sleep better and
feel less sleepy during the day. Regular exercise also improves the symptoms of
insomnia and sleep apnea and increases the amount of time you spend in the
deep, restorative stages of sleep.
The more vigorously you exercise, the more powerful the
sleep benefits. But even light exercise—such as walking for just 10 minutes a
day—improves sleep quality.
Just keep in mind that exercise is not a quick
fix. It can take several months of regular activity before you experience the
full sleep-promoting effects. So be patient. Focus on building
an exercise habit that sticks. Better sleep will
follow.
For a better sleep, time your exercise right
Exercise speeds up your metabolism, elevates body
temperature, and stimulates activating hormones such as cortisol. This isn’t a
problem if you’re exercising in the morning or afternoon, but too close to bed
and it can interfere with sleep.
Try to finish moderate to vigorous workouts at least 3
hours before your bedtime. If you’re still experiencing sleep difficulties,
move your workouts even earlier. For some people, it can take up to 6 hours for
the body to fully cool down after exercise to a temperature conducive to sleep.
Don’t feel glued to the couch, though. Relaxing,
low-impact exercises such as yoga or gentle stretching can help promote sleep.
Your daytime eating 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.
- 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.
- 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. While
a nightcap may help you relax and fall asleep faster, it interferes with
your sleep cycle once you’re out. To optimize the quality of your sleep,
stay away from alcohol in the hours leading up to your bedtime.
- 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.
Nighttime snacks help you sleep
For some people, a light snack before bed can help
promote sleep. When you pair tryptophan-containing foods with carbohydrates, it
may help calm the brain and allow you to sleep better. For others, eating
before bed can lead to indigestion and make sleeping more difficult. Experiment
with your food habits to determine your optimum evening meals and snacks.
If you need a bedtime snack, try:
- Half a turkey sandwich
- A small bowl of whole-grain,
low-sugar cereal
- Granola with milk or yogurt
- A banana
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.
Bedtime rituals to help you relax
Create a “toolbox” of relaxing bedtime rituals
to help you unwind before sleep. For example:
- Read a book or magazine by a soft
light
- Take a warm bath
- Listen to soft music
- Do some easy stretches
- Wind down with a favorite hobby
- Listen to books on tape
- Make simple preparations for the
next day
- Dim the lights in the hours leading
up to bed
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.
Keep your room dark, cool, and quiet
- 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.
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 or to practice breathing exercises. Take a breath
in, then breathe out slowly while saying or thinking the word, “Ahhh.”
Take another breath and repeat.
- Make relaxation your goal,
not sleep. If
you find it hard to fall back asleep, try a relaxation technique such as
visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, 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.
The insomnia cure
Do you struggle for hours to get to sleep, no matter how
tired you are? Do you wake up in the middle of the night and lie awake for
hours, anxiously watching the clock? You don’t have to put up with insomnia. Here’s what you can do to
put a stop to sleepless nights.
If, despite your best efforts at self-help, you are still
troubled by any of the following symptoms, you may have a sleep
disorder that
requires additional treatment:
- 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
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