Here are some tips for how you can improve your sleep-related habits and get a better night's sleep.
- Don’t go to bed unless you are sleepy. Find something relaxing, but not stimulating, to take your mind off of worries about sleep.
- If you are not asleep after 20 minutes, get out of the bed. Find something else to do in another room that will make you feel relaxed.
- Begin rituals that help you relax each night before bed.
- Get up at the same time every morning, even on weekends and holidays.
- Get a full night’s sleep on a regular basis.
- Avoid taking naps.
- Keep a regular daily schedule.
- Don’t read, write, eat, watch TV, or talk on the phone in bed.
- Do not have any caffeine after lunch.
- Do not have a beer, a glass of wine, or any other alcohol within six hours of your bedtime.
- Do not have a cigarette or any other source of nicotine before bedtime.
- Do not go to bed hungry, but don’t eat a big meal near bedtime either.
- Avoid any tough exercise within six hours of your bedtime.
- Avoid sleeping pills, or use them cautiously.
- Try to get rid of or deal with things that make you worry.
- Make your bedroom quiet, dark, and a little bit cool.
Source: Per the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
