Ten Tips for Better Sleep and a Better Tomorrow

For better sleep consider the following ten tips:

1. Routines. If you can establish a sleep routine, your body will be more inclined to get the rest it needs, and do so when you want it to. So, set a sleep schedule for yourself where you get up and go to bed at the same time every day, even on weekends. If you can successfully do this, you will find you sleep much better year round.

2. Exercise. Getting some exercise in during the day can improve how deeply you sleep at night. Your muscles will be tired, and your body will have eliminated some stress making it far easier to fall into sleep at night.

3. Don’t eat late. Eating too close to bedtime is a bad idea. It can cause indigestion, and can make it difficult to fall asleep because all the blood is going to your stomach to help with digestion. Instead, give yourself a good hour or so between meals and bed, and keep your late night meals light.

4. Avoid napping during the day. A nap in the middle of the day may feel necessary, but too long of a nap can steal hours from your evening sleep. So, if you feel it is needed, nap no more than 30 minutes to an hour.

5. Use your bedroom for sleeping. Many people have multi-purpose bedrooms, where they do everything from eating, watching television, surfing the web, and more. Make your bedroom the place where you sleep, and nothing else (except maybe sex), and you will find you sleep far better. It is like teaching your mind that when you are in that space, sleep is what you do.

6. Avoid coffee and alcohol in the evening. These are stimulants and can keep you awake, that is kind of the role of a stimulant. So, while it might be nice to have a glass of wine with dinner, or a coffee with dessert, it can make it difficult to sleep, so choose decaf or abstain.

7. Make sure you have a comfortable mattress and pillow. This can make a world of difference in how well you sleep. Determine what hardness and what type of mattress works best for you, and spend some money to get a good one that is supportive and allows for good rest.

8. Make your bedroom cool, dark, and comfortable. Cool, dark, and comfortable are the optimal conditions for good rest, and uninterrupted sleep. Your body temperature goes up at night, so keep your bedroom a few degrees cooler than you might find comfortable during the day. Invest in some thick drapes, and avoid noise.

9. Don’t try and force sleep. If you find that after you go to bed you are laying awake, get up and do something until you feel tired, then get back into bed. Otherwise you might train your body not to go to sleep when it should.

10. Have a wind down routine established. Start to relax an hour or so before bed and have a set of activities you do before sleep so that your mind and body know what comes next.