Are you getting enough sleep? Researchers have been pointing out American’s lack of sleep for years. Not getting enough sleep takes a toll on your body and mind. If you’re not sleeping well its time for you to start following your dreams and get some zzz’s. Here are some tips that can help you sleep better at night.
- Go to bed at the same time every day. Even when you’re not working you should still go to bed around the same time every day of the week. Doing so will help regulate your body’s internal clock and help you get the sleep you so desperately crave.
- Establish a bedtime routine. Light reading, relaxing music, stretching, yoga, meditation, warm baths, massage from your partner, and intimate encounters can all work wonders for insomnia sufferers. Research has shown each of these activities helps people fall asleep. Many people find it easy to pass out after reading. Soft music can match the body’s internal rhythm and slow the heart rate. Stretching, yoga, meditation, warm, baths, therapeutic massage, and intimate physical encounters all support the release of hormones and neurotransmitters that support a good night’s sleep. Creating a sleep schedule that includes the activities you find satisfying will help you maintain the bedtime routine you’ve always dreamed of.
- Lay off the stimulants after mid-day and don’t try to drink yourself to sleep every night. The effects of caffeine can last much longer than you think. Alcohol reduces the quality of sleep in many ways. It can keep you from reaching the deepest most satisfying stages of sleep. As its sedative effects wear off alcohol can also trigger wakefulness. It can also cause relationship issues and reduce the likelihood of physical intimacy. Sleeping pills aren’t a good idea either because they can become habit forming and some have nasty side effects when taken with even the smallest amounts of alcohol.
- Schedule fitness into your daily routine. Many studies have shown regular exercisers not only sleep longer than non-exercisers they also fall asleep faster. Regular exercise has many health benefits that support a good night’s sleep. Just don’t exercise to close to your bedtime or it may keep you up. Get to know your body and what works for you.
If you’ve been sleep deprived more than a few weeks you should probably seek professional help. Sleep deprivation has many side effects. Going without sleep can make you a danger to yourself and others.
