Hoodwink sleeplessness with Brian T. Horowitz’s tips for better sleep. His article in Men’s Fitness mentions the importance of solid unbroken sleep. Associate Professor J. Todd Arnedt at the University of Michigan says that a person needs a minimum of three nights of unbroken sleep every week. Here are strategies to help you attain your minimum solid shuteye.

Make Your Bedroom Sleep-Friendly

Turn the lights dim, insulate the room against noises, and turn down the temperature. Use a pillow that you find comfortable.

Avoid Anything That Contains Caffeine After 2pm

Caffeine interrupts deep sleep 8 to 10 hours from your last cup of joe, according to sleep specialist Michael Breus.

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Exercise Regularly

A survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation finds that regular vigorous physical regimen improves sleep. The regimen must be followed religiously for at least two months for the positive effects on sleep to show. You shouldn’t sleep two hours before bedtime, though, as this will be counter-productive. Yoga and meditation are also beneficial in people with insomnia, as revealed in a study conducted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine in 2009.

Take a Warm Shower 90 Minutes Before Bed

Hot water increases the core body temperature and improves sleep. An increase in body temperature sends a signal to increase melatonin which is responsible for making you drowsy.

Avoid Stress Two Hours Before Bed

This makes your mind and emotions alert and, therefore, make you awake.

Use a Smartphone Sleep Shield

The amount of light your phone gives off disrupts your normal sleep rhythm, or the circadian cycle. Limit your exposure to this disruptive light by using a sleep shield over your phone or other gadget that emits a similar glow.

Avoid Alcohol Close to Bed

Your body needs at least an hour to process alcohol. During this stage, you may simply “pass out” says Breus, but that’s not the same as the deeper stage of sleep that your body requires.

Avoid Cigarettes Prior to Bed

Nicotine prolongs your sleep onset latency, the time required for you to feel sleepy. Smoking an hour-and-a-half before bedtime results in shallow sleep, according to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in 2006.

Don’t Let Sleep Apnea Affect Your Sleep

Seek medical treatment for sleep apnea and other sleeping disorders. Apart from disrupting your much-needed sleep, sleep apnea can be caused by other deep-seated health conditions that must be properly diagnosed.

Monitor Sleep With an App

Apps can now give you insight into your sleeping and wakefulness patterns. This enables you to address sleeping issues and disturbances.

Sleeping is the body’s natural way of healing and restoring itself; make sure your restorer works!

By Daniel

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