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We all need some help now and then in getting to sleep. Rather
than just popping a pill which can be habit forming and lead to
more sleep problems in the long term, try these sleeping tips.
One or more of them will surely help.
Have a hot bath
Not hot enough to make you uncomfortable though. The heat of the
water relaxes the muscles and also causes the core body
temperature to drop afterwards which sends a sleep signal to the
brain. This is great for children too. It only works for baths
though, not showers!
Get more light during the day
This sounds strange, but its vital for good sleep at night. Our
brains are hard wired to go to sleep when it's dark and wake
when its light. Not getting enough light during the day will
deprogram our biological clock. Once our circadian rhythm has
been upset, our brain won't receive the sleep signal when we're
ready to go to sleep.
Even if you are working long hours try to get outside into the
sunshine for a while at lunchtime. If you live in a part of the
world which has short days in winter, install a bright light at
home and sit under it for at least 30 minutes. This should be
enough to keep that biological clock ticking!
This is a good reason not to watch TV in bed. Even if the
program is dull, the bright flickering light of the TV screen
will be working against your natural sleep patterns!
Don't lie in bed and worry about not sleeping
This will only cause stress and make sleep even harder to
achieve. If you find yourself becoming concerned about not
sleeping, get up and make yourself a drink (not coffee!) Find
something to read. Stay up until you feel sleepy again and only
then go back to bed.
Go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same
time every morning.
This reinforces the natural biological rhythm and helps your
brain send a sleep signal. It also reinforces a habit. Habits
are an important part of better sleep. Obviously you won't be
able to do this every single night, there will be nights where
you might go out to a show or out on the town with friends!
However if you manage most nights, this will still work well.
Don't go to bed until you are tired.
Yes I know! This sound like a direct contradiction of the
previous tip! The logic behind this is that is you are not
sleepy you will lie in bed awake and will start worrying about
not being able to go to sleep. The most important part of all
this is to get up at the same time every morning no matter what
time you went to bed the night before. Eventually you will feel
very sleepy at your normal bedtime. Getting up in the morning
when you are still tired is not easy to do but it will help in
the longer term. Stick with it!
Keep a sleep diary
This, while rather tedious, will give you an excellent idea of
your sleep patterns and will be a necessary record if you ever
decide to visit a sleep clinic for help. Some people have done
this and found their sleeping problems disappeared of their own
accord! A sleep diary should note the following:
What you had for dinner
What drinks you consumed after dinner
Any naps taken during the day
What time you went to bed
How long it took you to fall asleep
If you woke during the night
What time you woke up in the morning
How you rated quality of sleep (1-10)
Any further observations
Do this every day for a few weeks and you should see a pattern
emerging. This will give you invaluable information on your
personal sleep habits and patterns.
Develop an evening ritual.
Do the same things at the same time each night. This programs
the unconscious mind that you are preparing for sleep. Brush you
teeth, put the cat out, check the locks on the doors. Do each
step in the same order. It may sound simplistic but it can work
really well.
Exercise more during the day.
Exercise relaxes the body and mind as well as being good for
your health and helping with weight loss. Even walking just 30
minutes a day will help. If walking is not your thing try Yoga or
Qigong. Both are soothing and will relax you totally. If there
are no classes near you, videos or CDs are easily available.
Practice muscle relaxation.
You can do this during the day or after going to bed. Practice
tensing and relaxing each muscle group in turn, starting at the
top of the head and gradually working down to the toes. This
relaxes the body and also distracts you from any worrying
thoughts while you are performing it. Visit the page on
relaxation techniques for some easy to follow techniques.
Write down worries before going to bed.
There's always something to worry about isn't there? These are
the things that can keep you awake when your mind won't let go.
Solution? Have a worry time before going to bed. Think of all
the problems that are currently in your life and write them
down. Make a decision to do something about them the following
day.
If you are tempted to think about any of those things while you
are trying to sleep simply tell yourself, "its ok, I've made a
note of it and I'll handle it tomorrow"
Sweet dreams!
Want to know how to have better sleep? Find out how. Check out
www.insomnia-connection.com your resource for detailed
information on sleep and curing stress. The author, Wendy Owen,
has had a lifetime interest in general and alternative health as
well as being an ex insomniac!
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