Sleep Hygiene Part II

Previously discussed in Sleep Hygiene Part I were some relaxation techniques designed to help get your mind and your body to relax so it's easier to fall asleep. This section continues the discussion and outlines several other ways you can improve your sleep hygiene, which will help ensure your body gets the rest it needs.  

Take a bath

Taking a bath is more than just a luxury. It's also a great way to help your body unwind after a busy day. And there's another reason why taking a bath helps you sleep. A hot bath taken 60 – 90 minutes before going to bed will cause your body temperature to rise. But then your body temperature will start to fall and that's key to sleeping better because that drop is going to make you feel sleepy.

Eat lightly before bed

The key word here is "lightly". Eating a heavy meal before bed can actually cause you to be uncomfortable and might, depending on what you eat, cause heartburn which worsens when you lie down. Both likely will cause you to awaken during sleep. Snacking on healthy foods before going to bed can help you from feeling hungry during the night. If you get hungry you'll become restless and probably won't be able to sleep as deeply.

Certain foods such as peanuts, turkey and milk help trigger the release of serotonin, a chemical within the body that helps you to relax. If you don't have any of these food items, eating cereal or toast with milk can help keep hunger under control. By the way, many people avoid drinking milk due to a lactose intolerance, however, there are products available, such as Lactaid milk which are great for people with that problem.  And if you don't want to wake constantly because you have to go to the bathroom, limit the amount of liquids you drink prior to bedtime.  Rule of thumb, don't drink any closer than an hour-and-a-half before bedtime.

Keep a notepad by your bed

If you attempt to sleep with your head focused on all the things you didn't do today and all of the things you need to do tomorrow, sleep will never come. Getting those and other issues out of your head and onto paper will help. So before you go to sleep, take a few moments to write down those issues that are troublesome, causing anxiety or even the things you are looking forward to. That way, you can get some rest.

Don't try to sleep if you aren't sleepy

If you lie in bed when you aren't sleepy you'll just toss and turn. If you want to go to bed but don't feel like sleep will soon follow, start reading. But do so somewhere other than the bed. It will help you become drowsy. Once you do feel drowsy, then it's time to get into bed. But still, if you are awake after 20 minutes or so, get out and do some other mundane task.

Try not to rely on prescription or OTC sleep aids. Discontinue their use and instead focus your efforts on developing better sleep hygiene. Incorporate the changes delineated in this article and soon enough you may find that the quality of your sleep has greatly improved!

Natural Sleep Aid