Sleep

I woke up exhausted and could barely crawl out of bed this morning. I was so discombobulated by my alarm’s rude awakening that I grabbed my phone, body towel, and remote control to jump in the shower. I must have been dreaming I was going to watch TV and chat on the phone in the shower, haha! When I was at work, I caught myself sleeping with my eyes open twice during an afternoon meeting and couldn’t stop yawning. Why was I so tired?

According to the National Sleep Foundation, about half of all Americans have trouble falling or remaining asleep. There are many different factors that can disrupt rest. While the source of sleep problems differs from person to person, there are five steps that you can take to get a few extra Z’s.

Avoid the ‘Big Three’

Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are three substances that can rob anyone of precious shut-eye. Although alcohol makes people drowsy, its effect is short-lived and people will often wake up a few hours later, unable to fall back to sleep. Alcohol will also prevent you from falling into the deeper stages of sleep, where the body does most of its healing.

Limit Naps

A midday nap is a wonderful indulgence for many people, but for others it can wreak havoc on the nighttime sleep routine. If naps interfere with your nighttime sleep, try to nap for less than an hour, and preferably no longer than 30 minutes. Never nap after 3 p.m. Depending on how you have reacted in the past, it may be better not to nap at all.

Exercise Regularly

Exercise can make your sleep more restful, but only if you plan your workout correctly. Studies show that people who exercise regularly tend to fall asleep more quickly and remain at rest throughout the night. Aerobic exercise that increases your heart rate over an extended period of time is especially conducive to improved sleep. However, avoid exercising two hours before bedtime because exercise raises your body temperature, making it difficult to fall asleep.

Sleep in Complete Darkness

Your sleep environment has a major impact on the quality of rest that you get. Keeping the bedroom cool, dark and quiet can help you sleep more soundly. When light hits the eyes, it disrupts the circadian rhythm of the pineal gland and the production of melatonin and seratonin. You can buy special curtains that will make your room darker or try a mask that covers your eyes.

Go to Bed as Early as Possible

Our body systems do a majority of their recovering during the hours of 11PM and 1AM. Your gallbladder dumps toxins during this same time period and if you’re awake, those toxins back up into the liver which then secondarily back up into your entire system and cause further disruption to your health. So try to be in bed with the lights out between 9:30 P.M. and 10:30 P.M. If you are not used to getting to bed this early, move your bedtime up by 30 minutes every week until you are in bed by 10:30 P.M.

For more tips on how to get sound, restful sleep, check out HealingDaily.com.

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