When counting sheep just won't do, you need a plan of attack to make sure you get your rest. Here are the top tips for a good night's sleep that you may not have heard of before.
Set a schedule
Go to bed at a set time each night and get up at the same time each morning. Disrupting this schedule may lead to insomnia. "Sleeping in" on weekends also makes it harder to wake up early on Monday morning because it re-sets your sleep cycles for a later awakening.
Exercise
Try to exercise for 20 to 30 minutes a day. Daily exercise often helps people sleep, although a workout soon before bedtime may interfere with sleep. For maximum benefit, try to get your exercise about 5 to 6 hours before going to bed.
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Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol
Many people think alcohol helps with sleep, but think again. Alcohol robs people of deep sleep and REM sleep and keeps them in the lighter stages of sleep. Also avoid drinks that contain caffeine, which acts as a stimulant and keeps people awake.
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Sources of caffeine include coffee, chocolate, soft drinks, non-herbal teas, diet drugs, and some pain relievers. Smokers tend to sleep very lightly and often wake up in the early morning due to nicotine withdrawal.
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Control your room temperature
Maintain a comfortable temperature in the bedroom. Extreme temperatures have been known to disrupt sleep or prevent you from falling asleep.
Don't lie in bed awake
If you can't get to sleep, don't just lie in bed. Do something else, like reading, watching television, or listening to music, until you feel tired.
The anxiety of being unable to fall asleep while you're in bed can actually contribute to insomnia.
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Sleep until sunlight
If possible, wake up with the sun, or use very bright lights in the morning. Sunlight helps the body's internal biological clock reset itself each day.
Sleep experts recommend exposure to an hour of morning sunlight for people having problems falling asleep.
Relax before bed
A warm bath, reading, or another relaxing routine can make it easier to fall asleep.
You can train yourself to associate certain restful activities with sleep and make them part of your bedtime ritual.
See a doctor if your sleeping problem continues
If you have trouble falling asleep night after night, or if you always feel tired the next day, then you may have a sleep disorder and should see a physician.
Your primary care physician may be able to help you; if not, you can probably find a sleep specialist at a major hospital near you. Most sleep disorders can be treated effectively, so you can finally get that good night's sleep you need.
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Pray
It's true. Some have found relief when they actually get up out of bed and go somewhere else in their room or house to pray and then come back to bed.
Researchers don't know if it's the "letting go" aspect of mental stress or the physical aspect of moving and coming back to bed. Or it could be a combination of the two. However, it does work for some.
Adapted from "When You Can't Sleep: The ABCs of ZZZs," by the National Sleep Foundation.
