The first step on the road to a good night’s sleep is the ability to get to sleep quickly. Once you have this, the other aspects of a good night’s sleep fall into place fairly readily.
How do you get to sleep quickly then? Here are a number of things to consider when preparing for that ideal slumber.
1. What’s stopping you?
Take a moment to consider the thing (or things) that’s holding you back from getting to sleep quickly. Perhaps you just don’t feel tired when you first climb into bed, or you lie there thinking about things. Maybe you’re hungry. Whatever it is, identifying the cause will help enormously.
2. Awake at a fixed time
Regardless of what time you go to bed, wake up at the same time each day. Naturally there are limits to this - if you’re out partying until 5am, a 5:30 wake-up just isn’t going to happen. But the more regular your rising times are, the better you’ll sleep.
3. Make weekends the same
As far as your sleep routine’s concerned, treat Saturday and Sunday the same as the rest of the week. This means waking up at the same times - no more Sunday lie-ins.
4. Try to avoid a major caffeine hit
I tend to drink several cups (perhaps 5 or 6) of high-caffeine green tea per day. This, however, doesn’t seem to have any negative impact on sleep - although an intense coffee session does. If you like your coffee (and I really can’t blame you for that; I certainly love the stuff), spread it out a bit. No bingeing at the nearest cafe.
5. Exercise at the right times
Regular exercise (no matter what type) can certainly help you sleep, but the timing of your workouts is something to think about. A short session of something moderate will help you sleep, and can be done shortly before bedtime; a longer session (or a more intense one), however, can actually keep you awake for a while. If your schedule permits it, keep these longer/more intense sessions away from your intended sleep times.
6. Avoid slow-digesting foods shortly before bedtime
If your digestive system’s working overtime while you’re trying to get some sleep, it’ll win every time. The simplest thing to do is to hold off on that piece of cheese, spicy foods or anything covered in sugar until after you wake up.
7. Remove distractions from your sleep environment
Get rid of as many items with noise or changing light from your bedroom as possible. TVs, computers and rechargeable devices with flashing lights should all go. If you can’t get rid of them, switch them off when you’re trying to sleep. Minimise distractions.
8. Don’t take your worries to bed
A couple of years ago I discovered that I’d spend an hour or two each night simply lying there thinking, unless I wrote the problems down. A quick to-do list containing the main things on my mind (and the action I planned to take - even if that was ‘not sure what to do’) worked wonders. If you’re in a similar situation (lying there thinking about things each night), try it.
9. Comfort
Comfortable bedding and room temperature make a big difference. Making the bed isn’t just to keep your mum happy. It’ll help you sleep better.
10. Physiological factors
Health conditions such as arthritis, heartburn, menstruation and headaches (and many other things) are known to affect sleep. If you suspect the problem stems from your health, discuss this with your doctor. As some medications have sleeplessness as a side-effect, there are sometimes changes which can be made.
© 1997 - 2006 Scott Bird.
Showing posts with label Sleeplessness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sleeplessness. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
10 Ways to get a Good Night's Sleep
1. Set the Stage - turn off the computer and television at least one hour before you'd like to fall asleep, and turn on some music that you find relaxing. Test what your stereo system will do when the recording is finished – does it SNAP! or does it “wrrrr” – this will make a difference as you’re drifting off. My CD player makes a very soft "wrrrr" noise (though I honestly can't remember the last time I was still awake when the CD was over).
2. Music without words
- words can provoke and direct your thoughts more than instrumental music or pure vocal sounds. Try Music for Relaxation and Sleep
3. Music with natural "breaths" - music where the soloist takes natural pauses to breathe can help you to slow down your own breath - try flute, other wind instruments or voice (either with no words or words in a language you don't understand).
4. A good book - For bedtime reading, try to stay away from material that gets you thinking about things you deal with during the day. Magazines or stories that distract you from your own life may help you to drift into sleep.
5. Imagery - If you find that your mind is racing when you are trying to sleep, picture a viewpoint where you're traveling down a road. See your thoughts as signposts that you're passing. Concentrate on letting them pass right by.
6. Progressive muscle relxation
- Imagine that a ball of light is traveling along your body, beginning at the top of your head, going down to the tips of your toes, and then coming up again. As it passes your muscles, they fill with light and relax.
7. Take a nap - If your sleep has been interrupted or there've been unavoidable late nights, an afternoon nap can help you catch up. Experts advise that naps should be taken earlier in the afternoon, rather than later, and that we should keep them to 30 minutes or less. This will avoid disrupting your sleep at night.
8. Lavender Bath - Take a hot bath and add a couple of drops of lavender oil. Lavender has naturally occurring relaxing properties. Use a lavender filled eye pillow
9. Chamomile Tea - Calms the nervous system and helps to promote restful sleep.
10. Calcium/Magnesium
- Take 500 mg Calcium with 250 mg Magnesium at bedtime – The calcium has a calming effect, and the magnesium works along with it.
The advice and information in this article is not meant to replace medical advice. If you suspect you have a serious sleeping problem such as sleep apnea, or if you experience insomnia or extreme fatigue, please consult a healthcare professional.
(c) Copyright 2005, Genuine Coaching Services.
Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, is the author of “The Everyday Self-Care Workbook”. To receive one of her free monthly newsletters, subscribe at http://www.genuinecoaching.com/newsletter.html
2. Music without words
- words can provoke and direct your thoughts more than instrumental music or pure vocal sounds. Try Music for Relaxation and Sleep
3. Music with natural "breaths" - music where the soloist takes natural pauses to breathe can help you to slow down your own breath - try flute, other wind instruments or voice (either with no words or words in a language you don't understand).
4. A good book - For bedtime reading, try to stay away from material that gets you thinking about things you deal with during the day. Magazines or stories that distract you from your own life may help you to drift into sleep.
5. Imagery - If you find that your mind is racing when you are trying to sleep, picture a viewpoint where you're traveling down a road. See your thoughts as signposts that you're passing. Concentrate on letting them pass right by.
6. Progressive muscle relxation
- Imagine that a ball of light is traveling along your body, beginning at the top of your head, going down to the tips of your toes, and then coming up again. As it passes your muscles, they fill with light and relax.
7. Take a nap - If your sleep has been interrupted or there've been unavoidable late nights, an afternoon nap can help you catch up. Experts advise that naps should be taken earlier in the afternoon, rather than later, and that we should keep them to 30 minutes or less. This will avoid disrupting your sleep at night.
8. Lavender Bath - Take a hot bath and add a couple of drops of lavender oil. Lavender has naturally occurring relaxing properties. Use a lavender filled eye pillow
9. Chamomile Tea - Calms the nervous system and helps to promote restful sleep.
10. Calcium/Magnesium
- Take 500 mg Calcium with 250 mg Magnesium at bedtime – The calcium has a calming effect, and the magnesium works along with it.
The advice and information in this article is not meant to replace medical advice. If you suspect you have a serious sleeping problem such as sleep apnea, or if you experience insomnia or extreme fatigue, please consult a healthcare professional.
(c) Copyright 2005, Genuine Coaching Services.
Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, is the author of “The Everyday Self-Care Workbook”. To receive one of her free monthly newsletters, subscribe at http://www.genuinecoaching.com/newsletter.html
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