Getting enough sleep is crucial for staying healthy and aging. Some sleep problems — for instance, insomnia — require medical treatment. But these 10 easy steps can allow you to overcome common sleep problems, including insomnia.
- Stick to a consistent sleep schedule and routine. Go to bed at the identical time every night and stand up at the identical time every morning. A daily sleep routine will “train” you to go to sleep and get up more easily.
- Use the bed just for sleeping and sex.
- Cut back on caffeine. For some people, a cup of coffee within the morning means a sleepless night. Caffeine can even increase the necessity to urinate at night.
- Be physically energetic. Regular aerobic exercise like walking, running, or swimming provides three necessary sleep advantages: you'll go to sleep faster, achieve the next percentage of restorative deep sleep, and get up less through the night.
- Limit daytime sleep. Long naps can disrupt your natural sleep cycle and stop you from feeling drained enough to go to sleep.
- If you employ tobacco in any form, quit. Nicotine makes it difficult to sleep.
- Use alcohol with caution. Alcohol depresses the nervous system, so a nightcap may help some people sleep. But this effect wears off after a number of hours and should even cause you to stay up throughout the night. Alcohol can even worsen snoring and other sleep problems.
- Improve your sleep environment. Remove televisions, telephones, and other devices from the bedroom. This reinforces the concept that this room is for sleeping. An ideal environment is quiet, dark and comparatively cool, with a cushty bed and minimal clutter.
- If you continue to get up after about 20 minutes in bed, Get up and browse for some time to chill out. Otherwise, you'll be setting yourself up for tossing and turning.
- Try to avoid taking sleeping pills. If you are taking a prescribed sleep medication, talk over with your doctor about methods to use it effectively and for as short a time as possible.
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