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9 Tips for a Good Night’s Sleep - If sleep is elusive, make sure you’re covering these bedtime basics.
 Establish a regular routine. While it’s not always possible to go to bed at the same time, aim for a consistent 15- to 20-minute time frame every day of the week, including weekends. Incorporate a daily wind-down routine to help you relax.
Modify caffeine consumption. Limit your intake to one or two 8 oz. cups in the morning so that the caffeine works its way out of your system by evening.
Avoid alcohol and nicotine, especially in the evening. Alcohol is a sedative that can aggravate sleep disorders like sleep apnea. Nicotine is a stimulant that will rev you up.
Limit fluids before going to sleep.
Resist heavy meals close to bedtime. But don’t go to bed hungry; it tends to keep you awake.
Exercise regularly, but ideally no later than three hours before bedtime. Exercise raises your body temperature and delays the onset of sleep. If it gets too late for your workout, try relaxing yoga stretches instead.
Don’t take the laptop to bed. The brightness of the computer screen late at night can influence your body clock, wake you up and make it more difficult to go to sleep.
Get up and do something else if you can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes. Return to bed when you’re drowsy.
Pray. Relaxing and restorative, prayer is a good way to end the day on a thankful, reflective, hopeful note that helps set aside the worries of the day.
For more information, visit the National Sleep Foundation’s Web site.
—C.F. |