You wake up at odd hours of the night or constantly toss and turn. Tired of starting your days sleepy, groggy and cranky? We have some eye-opening secrets that’ll help you slumber soundly through the night. Plus, test your sleep IQ...
1. Dark, Quiet and CoolThe three fundamentals of a great night’s sleep are a dark, quiet and cool room. It will help your body realize it’s time for bed, and will help you stay asleep longer.
- To create the ideal sleeping environment, get rid of distracting lights and sounds.
- Shut all the curtains or blinds in your bedroom, and turn off the night light (you’re an adult now.)
- If other family members are staying up later than you and keeping the lights or television on, keep your door closed and ask them not to bother you once you’re in bed.
- Open your window (as long as it’s quiet outside) or keep the fan or air conditioner on to keep a comfortably cool temperature in the room.
2. Early Exercise
If you’re restless in the evening and can’t wind down by bedtime, you may not be using up enough energy during the day.
Believe it or not, exercising early helps you use your energy more efficiently during the day.
It also boosts your metabolism and helps you think more clearly.
Better yet, the restless, agitated feeling you experience at night will be replaced by the need to rest your tired body and mind.
If you work out in the morning, you'll be so exhausted by the end of the day you’ll be eager to hit the sack.
3. Food Police
Watch what you eat!
Are you eating or drinking caffeinated foods late in the day?
Do you eat too close to bedtime?
Caffeine’s effects can last up to seven hours, so lay off it after noon. Any caffeine left in your system will be used up by the time you’re ready to lie down.
Caffeine is in coffee, chocolate and soda, so you may have to eat a healthier evening snack, such as fruit or popcorn, which is a win-win for your waistline too.
Also, stop eating at least two hours before you go to bed. The digestive process can disrupt your sleep cycle and may even trigger strange dreams and nightmares.
4. Stress Less
Do the day’s events run through your head non-stop when you’re in bed and ready to drift off to sleep?
Stress can affect your sleep cycle, making a bad problem worse. It is also linked to countless diseases and a weakened immune system.
So before your head hits the pillow, spend a few minutes taking some deep breaths to clear your mind and relax your body.
5.Get into a routineThink about how your heart beats – it’s a steady rhythm: buh-boom, buh-boom, buh-boom. Well, your body craves routine too, particularly during the sleep cycle.If you can’t get a full eight hours of sleep every night, set some boundaries.
TV might seem like a great way to lull you to sleep, but you’re actually prolonging the time between crawling into bed and actually falling asleep.And if you’re not asleep, it doesn’t count as sleep time.
TV also captivates the mind and the imagination, stimulating your brain with vibrant colors and sounds and keeping you awake longer.Watching TV or a scary movie can also affect the types of dreams you have.
If you really need some entertainment before bed, read a book under a soft light, which is sure to send you dozing in no time at all.
Turn off TVs, computers, and other blue-light sources an hour before you go to bed. Cover any displays you can't shut off.
6. Put Your Neck in 'Neutral'
Blame your pillow if you wake up tired with a stiff neck. It should be just the right size not too fat and not too flat to support the natural curve of your neck when you're resting on your back. Do you sleep on your side? Line your nose up with the center of your body. Don’t snooze on your stomach. It twists your neck.
7. Set Your Body Clock
Go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same time every day, even on weekends. This routine will get your brain and body used to being on a healthy snooze-wake schedule. In time, you'll be able to nod off quickly and rest soundly through the night.
8. Turn Down Tobacco
Nicotine is a stimulant, just like caffeine. Tobacco can keep you from falling asleep and make insomnia worse.
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