Good night, Sleep tight

Is a good night sleep a distant dream for you? Do you spend most of the snoozing hours tossing and turning in the bed? Here’s some help for you.

Tips to ensure a sound slumber:

Do’s

• Wake up and sleep at the same time every day, even on weekends. When the sleep cycle has a regular rhythm, one feels better.

• Develop a pre-bedtime routine, like reading or showering before retiring for bed that gives the body clues it needs to get ready to fall asleep. Follow this routine religiously every night.

• Follow a regular daily schedule. Eat meals at the same time, exercise regularly; perform the daily chores at the same time. The more the body gets accustomed to a set routine during the day, more will be the chances of body preparing for a scheduled night slumber.

• If one is on any kind of medication, it is more important to stick to meal and medication timings as any irregularity in either of these can lead to sleep disorders.

• Prepare a list of things to be done the next day. This will shoo away the chances of lying down idly in the bed and worrying about next days tasks.

• Make sure that your bedroom is quite and comfortable for a good night sleep. A comfortable mattress and pillows are also essential for a good sleep.

Don’ts

• Don’t go to bed if you are not drowsy. Doing this reduces the time you lay awake in the bed.

• Don’t stay in bed if you have not fallen asleep within 20 minutes of retiring in the bed. Go to another room and indulge yourself in a quite, relaxing activity till the time you feel drowsy.

• Don’t take nap during the day. However, if you must nap, do it at the same time every day and don’t let it last for more than an hour.

• Don’t have big meals right before bedtime. It puts pressure on the digestive system and thus develops sleeping disorder.

• Don’t do intensive exercise any after than early afternoon or mid exercise any later than late afternoon. However, doing stretches before bedtime may aid sleep.

• Don’t have caffeine, nicotine and alcohol in the evening.

• Don’t consume too much liquid in the evening.