Having trouble nodding off? Try these tips:
- Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. A consistent routine will help your body know when it’s time to sleep.
- Avoid alcohol close to bedtime. Alcohol may help put you to sleep, but it won’t keep you In fact, alcohol may impair or prevent deep sleep and REM stages.
- Avoid caffeine later in the day. Caffeine can stay in your system up to 14 such as nicotine or sugar. Bummer…no ice cream before bed?
- Turn off the computer and TV. Better yet, keep electronic screens out of the bedroom entirely. We know you take your iPad to bed!
- Get some sun. Sunlight helps the body’s internal biological clock reset itself each day. Sleep experts recommend exposure to an hour of morning sunlight for people having problems falling asleep. Just don’t forget the sunscreen.
- Keep your bedroom quiet, dark, and at a cool temperature. Reserve the bed for sleeping, cuddling and sex – not work or bill paying. Research suggests that cooler room temperatures may also improve sleep quality.
- Develop a relaxing bedtime routine. Consider a warm bath, reading, or listening to music. Maybe not Metallica but perhaps theme from 50 Shades of Grey? Lower the house lights. These routines allow your mind and body to wind down and signal that it’s time for rest.
- Eat wisely. Avoid heavy meals right before bedtime. But don’t go to bed hungry. If hunger strikes in the evening, eat a small, nutritious snack. Those tacos won’t cut it.
- Clear your mind. Make a to-do list for the next day and then set it aside. Don’t make bedtime the time to solve your problems. Wake up with a thought? Write it down immediately so you don’t toss and turn worrying you’ll forget.
- Don’t lie in bed awake. If you can’t fall asleep within 30 minutes, go to another room and do something restful until you feel sleepy. Stay away from Candy Crush!
Excerpted from Experience Life May 2015