Ways to sleep well:
- Go to bed and wake up around the same times every day. This includes Friday nights and weekend mornings.
- Don't eat or drink anything other than water three hours before bed time.
- Don't lie in bed reading right before bed time.
- Write down your thoughts in a journal. Aside from other WonderfulBenefitsOfJournals, it serves as a secondary cache for thoughts and worries. Once one gets into this, one's mind will stop whirling with thoughts before bed.
- Have marital relations... even if your society does not permit you and your partner to get married ;).
- The late night talk shows have "we cater to losers" written all over them. Read the writing on the wall, and turn them off. Better yet, get the TV out of the bedroom, surely you can find better things to do there.
- Lucid dream, either about an awesome new design or about slicing your boss up into sushi.
- Sleep only when sleepy. This reduces the time you are awake in bed. If you can't fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and do something boring until you feel sleepy. Sit quietly in the dark or read the warranty on your refrigerator. Don't expose yourself to bright light while you are up. The light gives cues to your brain that it is time to wake up.
- Don't take naps. This will ensure you are tired at bedtime. If you just can't make it through the day without a nap, sleep less than one hour, before 3 p.m.
- Get up and go to bed the same time every day. Even on weekends! When your sleep cycle has a regular rhythm, you will feel better.
- Refrain from exercise at least 4 hours before bedtime. Regular exercise is recommended to help you sleep well, but the timing of the workout is important. Exercising in the morning or early afternoon will not interfere with sleep.
- Develop sleep rituals. It is important to give your body cues that it is time to slow down and sleep. Listen to relaxing music, read something soothing for 15 minutes, have a cup of caffeine-free tea, do relaxation exercises.
- Use your bed only for sleeping. Refrain from using your bed to watch TV, pay bills, do work or reading. So when you go to bed your body knows it is time to sleep. Sex is the only exception.
- Stay away from caffeine, nicotine and alcohol at least 4-6 hours before bed. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that interfere with your ability to fall asleep. Coffee, tea, cola, cocoa, chocolate and some prescription and non-prescription drugs contain caffeine. Cigarettes and some drugs contain nicotine. Alcohol may seem to help you sleep in the beginning as it slows brain activity, but you will end end up having fragmented sleep.
- Have a light snack before bed. If your stomach is too empty, that can interfere with sleep. However, if you eat a heavy meal before bedtime, that can interfere as well. Dairy products and turkey contain tryptophan, which acts as a natural sleep inducer. Tryptophan is probably why a warm glass of milk is sometimes recommended.
- Take a hot bath 90 minutes before bedtime. A hot bath will raise your body temperature, but it is the drop in body temperature that may leave you feeling sleepy. Read about the study done on body temperature below.
- Trouble Sleeping? Chill Out! So says a press release from the journal Sleep, about the significance in body temperature before sleep.
- Make sure your bed and bedroom are quiet and comfortable. A hot room can be uncomfortable. A cooler room along with enough blankets to stay warm is recommended. If light in the early morning bothers you, get a blackout shade or wear a slumber mask. If noise bothers you, wear earplugs or get a "white noise" machine. Also, listening to music might help you relax.
- Use sunlight to set your biological clock. As soon as you get up in the morning, go outside and turn your face to the sun for 15 minutes.
- If you can't get to sleep, try not to keep turning over or moving.
- Play relaxing music or sounds while getting ready for bed. Be sure to have a quiet CD player with auto shut off.
Anyone have any WakingUpTips??
When you are ready to wake up, stop sleeping.
Nowadays that a lot of people use their phones as alarm clock, try putting the most incredibly obnoxious alarm you can on your phone. Mine is literally capable of waking the dead, but it comes at the price of having to lock my door to prevent my brother from barging in and turning it off because it's seriously that annoying. (PROTIP: Try putting a Federal Signal siren as alarm ringtone. It can REALLY wake up the dead.)
The night before, make a cup of coffee and put it nearby. Then, once you wake up, guzzle it. The cold coffee will be rather unpleasant but far easier to drink than a hot cup, thus giving you the kickstart you need to begin a day of work. If you really would rather have your hot coffee in the morning you can settle for half a cup.
Note: if you have problems sleeping, and you also notice feelings of weariness, demotivation and sadness, you might have clinical depression. See a doc - it is a medical issue.
Interestingly ChristopherAlexander has some things to say on sleeping well too. BedRoomPatterns?.
- Sleeping toward east
- Waking by the sun
- Ordering rooms by purpose according to the time sunlight shines in.
That I call a cross relation!
CategoryHealth
Sleeping Well Tips