10 Keys to a Good Night Sleep

Did you sleep well last night? Or did you wake up feeling fatigued and sluggish, perhaps wondering if you really slept at all? Although you may think it’s a simple matter of throwing back the covers and falling into bed, good restful slumber requires preparations.

• Stick to a schedule:

Try to wake up at the same time every morning, no matter when you fell asleep or how well you slept. Also keep the same bedtime every night.

• Seek the sun:

At least two hours of sunlight each day is necessary to keep our biological clock on track.

• Exercise:

Although an intense workout within three hours of bedtime may interfere with sleep, physical activity earlier in the day helps induce bedtime drowsiness.

• Eat early:

Finish your evening meal well in time, so that the body’s digestive processes will be at rest when you go to bed. This will help you to avoid stomach acid reflux, which causes heartburn, a painful problem that can disrupt sleep.

• Hop in the tub:

Soaking in a hot bath an hour and a half before bedtime will raise the body’s core temperature, then cause it to cool – a biological signal that it’s time to snooze.

• Develop a bedtime ritual:

Following a similar routine every night before bed will slide you into sleep.

• Drink fewer liquids:

Cutting back on fluids, especially those containing caffeine, during the two hour period prior to bedtime will minimize the need for trips to the bathroom during the night.

• Turn in on time:

Do you usually stay up later? Try getting up progressively earlier by a few minutes each morning, over a few days. You’ll soon fall asleep earlier at night.

• Give up nicotine:

Tobacco is harmful in many ways, but nicotine’s stimulant effect contributes to insomnia. If you can’t quit smoking altogether, avoid cigarettes for at least two hours before bedtime.

• Don’t toss and turn:

The longer you lie awake in bed, the more fragmented your sleep becomes. If you find you haven’t fallen asleep by 20 minutes after you get in the bed, get up and do things that induce sleep, like read a dull book, or listen to slow music.