In today’s fast-paced world, it’s more important than ever to get a good night’s sleep. But at the same time it’s hard for many people to get the sleep they need in order to feel well-rested and fresh the next day due to stress, worries, noise and other distractions.
If you seem to get out of bed every morning feeling just as tired and sleepy as you did when you crawled into it the night before, here are a few tips that just might help you sleep longer and more soundly:
1 – Buy a quality mattress and pillows. The leading cause of insomnia is lying on a mattress that is either too soft or too firm. Likewise, a poorly designed pillow makes it difficult to find a comfortable position for your head and neck.
2 – Make sure your bedroom is completely dark when you go to bed. Street lights (and sunlight if you have to sleep during the day) pouring into your bedroom tends to fool your body into thinking that it’s time to be up and at it, not sleeping. Invest in a set of room darkening blinds or thick, dark curtains if you must. Of course another option is simply hanging a heavy quilt over the window.
3 – Don’t watch TV or listen to a radio during the last hour before hitting the sack. External stimulation is one of the biggest sleep killers you’ll ever encounter.
4 – Don’t eat anything during the last two hours before trying to go to sleep in order to avoid getting indigestion or acid reflux. Also, don’t drink very much if you usually have to get up more than once during the night to pay a visit to the bathroom.
5 – Turn off anything in your house that tends to make noise. TV’s, radios, scanners and such will keep your mind stimulated well past bed time (all night long in fact). If there are external noises that you simply cannot control, try masking them by tuning a radio to static (between stations) or running a fan.
6 – Don’t lie in bed and think about your problems. Instead, think pleasant, relaxing thoughts such as lying on a tropical beach. Teach yourself to put your cares behind you at night and relax as much as possible.
In summary, you don’t have to lose sleep over things that you can easily control. A little money spent on a quality mattress along with a little preparation and discipline will go a long way towards helping you get a good night’s sleep!
About the author: Judy Miller is a nurse practitioner and sleep disorder specialist who managed to overcome her own sleep problems years ago by following these same simple steps.