In modern-day society, because of night work, television, computers, and the profound stress we experience in everyday life, our sleep is often disrupted. Sleeping is a basic biological need, like hunger and thirst. When we don\u2019t get enough of it, our bodies let us know that there are consequences.<\/p>\n
Maintain regular times for getting to sleep and\u00a0waking up, including on the weekends.<\/strong> Our sleep-wake\u00a0cycle is regulated by an internal clock that\u00a0balances both sleep time and wake time. Getting up\u00a0at the same time every morning helps with getting to\u00a0sleep the next night. If you have difficulty sleeping at\u00a0night, try to avoid daytime naps.<\/p>\n Create a sleep environment that is dark, cool,\u00a0quiet, comfortable, and free of interruptions.<\/strong> It\u00a0may help to use eye shades, ear plugs, \u201cwhite\u00a0noise\u201d machines, humidifiers, or fans. The brain\u00a0responds to light to detect whether it\u2019s night or day,\u00a0so use curtains or shading to keep light at minimal\u00a0levels. Studies have shown that sleep inducement is\u00a0increased when body temperatures are lower (and this\u00a0means a fan or air conditioner and light covers, not\u00a0heavy blankets \u2013 depending on the season, of course).<\/p>\n Slow down the metabolic rate about half an hour\u00a0before getting to sleep.<\/strong> Establish a regular, relaxing\u00a0routine before going to bed. This might involve\u00a0soaking in a hot bath, then reading or listening\u00a0to soothing music before trying to sleep. Avoid\u00a0stimulating activities before bedtime, like computers,\u00a0video games, office work, housework, or family\u00a0problem-solving.<\/p>\n Avoid using the bed for activities other than sleep.<\/strong> The bed is not the place to read, watch TV, work on a laptop, or do office work. We need to make an association in our brain between bed and sleeping. Sexual activity is an exception, which is believed to make it easier to fall asleep and improve the quality of sleep.<\/p>\n Exercise regularly<\/strong>. Finish your exercise at least three hours before bedtime. Higher body temperatures accompany exercise and we sleep best when our body temperature is lower.<\/p>\n Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol close to bedtime.<\/strong> Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that can interfere with the process of falling asleep. Although many people think of alcohol as a sedative, it actually disrupts sleep and causes nighttime awakening. Consuming alcohol causes a night of restless sleep.<\/p>\n Finish eating at least two to three hours before your regular bedtime.<\/strong> Also, try to restrict fluid intake close to bedtime to prevent waking up during the night to go to the bathroom. (Some people, on the other hand, find that warm milk or herbal teas are soothing and a helpful part of the nighttime routine.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The National Sleep Foundation tells us that nearly half of us don\u2019t get enough sleep. In modern-day society, because of night work, television, computers, and the profound stress we experience in everyday life, our sleep is often disrupted. Sleeping is a basic biological need, like hunger and thirst. When we don\u2019t get enough of it,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":895,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n