7 Tips for Getting Better Sleep

Could your health be suffering from sleep deprivation?
 
Even the mildest sleep deprivation can be the cause of many medical and psychological conditions including high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, impaired memory, depression and anxiety.
 
There are many causes of sleep deprivation. Some sleep disorders prevent sleep, like sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome. But out habits and personal choices can also greatly affect the quality of our sleep. You can get better sleep by following these good sleep habits:
 
1) Regular Bedtime – Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, including weekends and vacations. This will keep your internal clock working in a rhythm, greatly increasing the chances that you will sleep better  when you are supposed to.
 
2) Regular Exercise. Exercise improves sleeping habits. Exercise 5-6 times per week, between twenty to thirty minutes a day. Don’t exercise within five hours of bedtime.

3) Don't Lie Awake. Staying in bed when you can’t sleep will interrupt your daily sleep rhythm and give you negative emotions to associate with your bed. Get up and do something else until you feel sleepy.

4) Limit Caffeine , Nicotine , and Alcohol – Avoid nicotine or caffeine for 6 hours before bedtime. They are stimulants and will keep you awake. Alcohol is a sedative, and may make you feel sleepy. But alcohol also creates erratic sleep patterns that disturb a natural sleep rhythm.

5) Don’t Eat or Drink Before Bedtime. It takes a lot of energy for your body to digest food. Digestion will disturb your sleep. Drinking fluids before bedtime will make you get up in the night to pee, interrupting sleep. Avoid food and drink for two hours before bedtime.

6) Relaxing Quiet Time – A quiet, peaceful period before bed can help you relax. Taking a warm bath or reading a book can help cue your body that it’s time to sleep. Meditation, breathing, and relaxation techniques help many people get ready to sleep.

7) Keep the Bedroom for Two Things. Watching television, reading a book, or listening to music in the bedroom is not recommended. Any bedroom activities, that engage your interest, can create a mental association that pulls you out of sleep. Only use your bedroom for sleep and sex.