Tips for Getting Enough Sleep
- Dealing with insomnia or going to bed late due to ongoing obligations can leave you feeling tired or sluggish in the morning. Lack of proper sleep can impact brain function, which can trigger mental fogginess or slow reflexes. Fortunately, there are techniques to help improve the quality of your sleep.
- Regular exercise is good for your overall health. It can also improve sleep quality by stimulating blood circulation and providing a calming aftereffect to induce relaxation and sleep. Plan to exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes every day. This doesn't have to involve high impact workouts. Simple exercises such as light jogging, power walking or swimming can help you get enough sleep at night.
- Transform your bedroom into a relaxing haven to help you fall asleep and stay asleep all night. Giving yourself a bedtime helps--going to bed at the same time each night helps your body develop a sleep pattern. Watching television or bringing the laptop to bed can stimulate your mind and delay sleep. Turn off the television and lights, and play calming music to relax your mind and body. A comfortable mattress and temperature may also prompt better sleep.
- Eating or drinking late can interfere with your sleep pattern and leave you feeling tired throughout the day. Late night meals can induce heartburn and trigger nighttime pain or coughing due to acid reflux. Foods that can trigger reflux when eaten late include spicy foods, tomato-products and fatty foods. Caffeine can also stimulate the mind when consumed before bedtime. And although alcohol is a depressant, alcoholic beverages can have the opposite effect and keep you awake or delay sleep.
- Sleeping pills available over the counter can induce sleep in people with insomnia and help you get enough sleep at night. Regrettably, side effects such as daytime drowsiness are common with sleep aids when taken too late the night before. Experimenting with natural sleep aids or relaxants such as melatonin and lavender oil can help you body wind down at night and get a full night's rest. Take over-the-counter and natural sleep aids as directed, and do not mix sleep aids with alcohol.
