The typical American is suffering from sleep deprivation. Trying to keep track of today’s busy world is becoming impossible the ones are left with very little time to find the sleep they require and/or once they sleep, it’s not the quality of sleep required to look after yourself, judgment, energy and functioning.
Here are some tried and true tips and a few brand new ones that may help you Improve Your Sleep Quality.
1. Try taking Melatonin, 1 mg before going to sleep. Melatonin helps regulate the body’s sleep cycles so that as we age, we produce a smaller amount of it. It is also utilized by the united states military for troops being sent overseas to help prevent jet lag. Do your personal research on this natural substance you can get in pill form out of your local store or pharmacy.
2. Spray lavender on your pillow before bed – this helps relax you and also allow you to drift off faster. It will help to keep lavender oil and other means within the bathroom to assist with relaxing too.
3. Wake up simultaneously every single day – even day’s off or when you don’t work. This keeps your internal clock on the right track.
4. Spend an hour or so before going to sleep doing relaxing things to do for example reading, meditating, gratitude, guided imagery, centering yourself, bathing, pampering yourself, relaxing music or some peace and quiet. Watching TV right until put forth bed does not permit the body and mind to slow and let go of the day’s struggle onto it. The need to relax physically and mentally is key.
5. Let go, don’t go to sleep thinking of the list of things to do the next day. You have to produce a peaceful mind.
6. Have sex…….yup, you heard me! Sex is ideal for unwinding the mind and body, it helps release a hormones that may help you sleep and you will have a far more positive feeling and outlook along the way to bed. It also promotes a healthy relationship. Another benefit of sex before bed may be the calories it uses up.
7. Seriously work on managing your time, being more organized, simplifying your life, working less hours or perhaps a job nearer to home, etc. that will free up some hours during your day that can be used for more pleasurable activities and create less anxiety. Stress is detrimental for you to get good quality sleep.
8. Don’t work late or near to the time you’ll be going to bed.
9. Build your bedroom a zone that promotes sleep – no TV in the bedroom, make it comfortable and inviting, eliminate just as much light as you possibly can (electronics, night lights, computer screen, dark-out curtains, etc.) you should also make sure people know not to call you following a certain time. Re-do your living space to produce the kind of atmosphere that you’ll really adore likely to bed/sleep in…nice sheets or bed coverings, scents in the air, relaxation music, no sun/light/noise penetrating, make it your escape spot you’ve always dreamt of.
10. Do not eat a heavy meal at least 3 hrs or less before your bedtime, this enzymatic process with heavy meals will likely keep you awake. The word about milk before bed holds true because it has tryptophan, just like found in turkey, which promotes sleep.
11. Buy a new mattress. It is amazing the number of people are resting on poor mattresses. Your mattress does not need to be expensive, at all, just try various ones out by laying on them for at least Fifteen minutes in the store… yes, Fifteen minutes. You’d take more time than that looking at a car, so spend the time you need for the one thing that you use for so many hours every single day and which can seriously impact your lifetime and well being. There’s mounting evidence that the sleep number beds are incredibly beneficial for people, specifically for couples who usually like different softness or firmness in mattresses. Don’t have the money at this time; the best offer I’ve found reaches Overstock.com for a 3 inch thick, 4 lb density foam mattress topper pad. Every bed during my house includes a pad and it has made an amazing difference in sleep for me personally….which is crucial since I’ve had back surgery and am very picky now.
12. If you do not fall asleep within Twenty minutes of going to sleep, get into another room and do something else until you feel drowsy.
13. If you don’t give yourself an hour or so before bed, then a minimum of change what you are watching on the TV, no news with negativity, loud/violent/fast image changing shows and also the same for videos as all counter act the requirement to relax prior to going to bed to get good quality sleep.
14. Your bedroom temperature ought to be lower than the rest of the house…not cold but cool which promotes better sleep.
15. Try taking a nap between 1-4 pm during the day, it will actually help invigorate you and also not affect your night sleep. There are a couple of CDs available for 10-minute quick naps – http://www.wendi.com and Dr. Jeffery Thompson who pioneered this and sells on his own website and through Amazon.com.
16. Don’t exercise before bedtime.
17. If you work the night shift, below are great tips for you:
a. live as close to your job as you possibly can
b. don’t drive, if you’re able to help it. Most shift-workers report driving drowsy after shift.
c. your investment fast solution
d. if your schedule is going to change; start switching your sleep time 3 days in advance.
e. use room-darkening drapes
f. get outdoors once you wake up; take a stroll out in the sun’s rays. This cues your biological clock that it’s time for you to be alert.
g. use a white-noise machine or fan to mute outside sounds.
h. if your hours rotate, ask your coworkers to schedule succeeding shifts to ensure that a new one starts after the last one, advises the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
18. You do need 8 hrs of sleep and getting good quality sleep can help you keep your weight more easily.
Improving the quality and quantity of sleep is essential for you personally. Insufficient quality sleep will affect your health, your mental abilities and the quality of your life. So, please stick to the above suggestions around you can to help you exist more fully.