THE BEST SLEEP TIPS

Mindy D · ‎05-23-2010

GREAT SLEEP TIPS. I can’t remember where they are from, but they work. I’ll cite reference when I remeber the source.

“HERE ARE SOME TIPS FOR BETTER SLEEP.

TIP 1. SET A BEDTIME ALARM AND STICK TO A CONSISTENT SLEEP ROUTINE. Your body’s internal clock, a.k.a. your circadian rhythm plays a key role in regulating your sleep-wake cycle. This clock tells your body when it’s time to wake up in the morning and when to start unwinding at the end of the day.
TIP 2. KEEP YOUR BEDROOM COOL. Lowering your body temperature will help you sleep faster. That's why a bedroom with a temperature of 18°C or 64.4°F is ideal.
TIP 3. GO OUTSIDE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. Get at least 60 minutes of natural daylight exposure first thing in the morning. Light is the strongest stimulus for regulating a person’s sleep-wake schedule. It doesn’t matter if it’s cloudy or sunshine, the key is to trick the brain into a new morning routine. Don’t put shades on because it will diminish the light reset function in your body clock.
TIP 4. DON'T DRINK COFFEE OR CAFFEINE AFTER NOON. Caffeine has a half-life of six hours. Caffeine is also what we call a psychoactive stimulant. For some people, a single cup of coffee in the morning means a sleepless night.
TIP 5. BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE. Regular aerobic exercise like walking, running, or swimming provides three important sleep benefits: you'll fall asleep faster, attain a higher percentage of restorative deep sleep, and awaken less often during the night.
TIP 6. LIMIT DAYTIME NAPS AFTER 3 PM. Prolonged napping can disrupt your natural sleep cycle and prevent you from feeling tired enough to fall asleep.
TIP 7. EAT HEALTHY AND AT REGULAR TIMES Food is just as powerful a trigger as light is. Avoid large meals and beverages at late night hours. Recent studies have shown that your eating schedule is correlated with how your body clock works.
TIP 8. CLEAN YOUR BEDROOM AND TURN OF THE BLUE LIGHT DEVICES. Remove the television, telephone, and any other devices that radiate blue light from the bedroom. Blue light can affect your sleep and potentially cause sleep diseases.”