Tired of tossing and turning in bed every night, but don’t know how to sleep better?
If you do notice sleep deprivation symptoms, you MUST read on to know these 7 simple tips that can help you get a better sleep.
Watching a sleeping baby can be such a source of joy- I can’t help feel jealous of an infant when I see him dozing off and sleeping blissfully on a mom’s shoulder as she strolls through a hot, crowded market or at a party where blaring music is giving grown-ups a headache.
Not that I have anything against a baby sleeping peacefully- far from it! I’m not a sadist!
I feel jealous because I can’t recall the last time I slept like that.
Can you?
I mean, recall the last time YOU slept like a baby?
Well, a good night’s sleep can do a lot more for you than you thought. It is essential that you get good sleep and, more importantly, enough sleep night after night before you get up to face yet another day!
The first step in this direction is to know HOW MUCH sleep you need. Though there is no thumb rule to find THAT out (because sleep requirements vary from person to person), experts point out that eight hours of sleep should be sufficient for a normal, healthy adult.
I know most of the tips listed below will seem so common-sensical that you’ll wonder WHY you started reading this post at all. But, believe me, at times we don’t start doing the RIGHT thing unless we are egged on to it repeatedly.
So, even if these tips for better sleep sound very familiar to you, just read on. And with every tip, just ask yourself- I KNOW THIS IS THE RIGHT THING FOR ME. BUT, HAVE I BEEN ACTUALLY FOLLOWING THIS?
DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!!
Also, have a fixed time for getting up. Experts say that once your body starts getting enough sleep, you will be able to get up in the morning without even needing an alarm to wake you up.
You will not be able to get a sound sleep if you are hungry. You are as much likely to stay awake if you have eaten too much, though. So, make sure you eat just enough. Don’t have very spicy or heavy meals at night or ‘heartburn’ will keep you awake.
Restrict the amount of fluids with your dinner so that you don’t have to get up to go to the loo too frequently and can sleep soundly.
Also, take care to avoid stimulating drinks like coffee after 6PM- its effects take 6-8 hours to wear off and it will keep you awake for hours, when your body craves for sleep. So, if you must have something to drink, have a glass of water with a dash of lime instead of a chilled frappe`.
You would also do well to stay away from alcohol before hitting the bed. I know there are skeptics who will point out that alcohol actually has a soothing effect and helps you sleep easily. Surely it does help you sleep. But you can’t sleep soundly after having too much of it.
The nicotine in cigarettes is another stimulant and smoking at bedtime could also disturb your sleep. Another reason to quit smoking.
Such are the compulsions of modern life that the body’s natural production of melatonin gets disrupted, making our sleep-wake patterns go haywire.
Most of us spend long hours away from natural light even during the day, which makes the brain feel sleepy during the day. And, the bright lights of the TV or the computer screen have just the opposite effect at night.
To regulate your natural wake-sleep cycle, increase your exposure to light during the day and restrict it during the night.
There are a number of things that contribute towards creating the ‘RIGHT’ ambiance for sleep:
I have a friend who sleeps for two hours every evening and then complains she can’t sleep before 1AM at night. If I slept for that long during the day, I might be awake for that long too!
If you must have a nap in the afternoon, make sure it is a ‘power nap’ lasting 20-30 minutes.
The timing of the nap is equally important. Take a nap towards the mid afternoon. Napping too late in the evening is likely to keep you awake till late at night.
If you have been going through the same, just analyze your thoughts and figure out WHAT exactly is keeping you awake. What are the recurring themes? This will help you figure out the problems you need to address during the day.
Some of us cannot stop worrying even if we want to, even about the things which are beyond our control. Such people need to learn how to MANAGE their thoughts. Meditation has been found to be very helpful in this.
And if you are unable to sleep because you are worrying about the work at home, kids’ exams coming up, stress at the office or in handling relationships, you need to consult someone who can help you with stress management.
Getting rid of negative thoughts and factors that induce stress at bedtime help you sleep peacefully.
Try laughter therapy. Smiling and laughing are the best stress busters, and have no side effects either!
Laughter therapy- a great stress buster!
Having a relaxing bedtime routine always helps. Getting into that routine sends your brain the signal that it’s time to hang up your shoes for the day and doze off.
The first step in that direction would be to make sure that you do nothing else on your bed except sleep (or, have sex). Hitting the bed in that case would mean your brain telling the body that you have had enough for the day and that it’s time to nod off.
Try some relaxing bedtime rituals like taking a warm water bath, listening to soft music, some light reading under a soft light, some light stretching exercises or yoga, or watching your favorite soap on the TV, etc.
If you are unable to sleep peacefully through the night (God forbid!), or know people who would want to know how to sleep better, do ask them to read these 7 simple tips for better sleep.
If you do notice sleep deprivation symptoms, you MUST read on to know these 7 simple tips that can help you get a better sleep.
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Not that I have anything against a baby sleeping peacefully- far from it! I’m not a sadist!
I feel jealous because I can’t recall the last time I slept like that.
Can you?
I mean, recall the last time YOU slept like a baby?
Well, a good night’s sleep can do a lot more for you than you thought. It is essential that you get good sleep and, more importantly, enough sleep night after night before you get up to face yet another day!
The first step in this direction is to know HOW MUCH sleep you need. Though there is no thumb rule to find THAT out (because sleep requirements vary from person to person), experts point out that eight hours of sleep should be sufficient for a normal, healthy adult.
I know most of the tips listed below will seem so common-sensical that you’ll wonder WHY you started reading this post at all. But, believe me, at times we don’t start doing the RIGHT thing unless we are egged on to it repeatedly.
So, even if these tips for better sleep sound very familiar to you, just read on. And with every tip, just ask yourself- I KNOW THIS IS THE RIGHT THING FOR ME. BUT, HAVE I BEEN ACTUALLY FOLLOWING THIS?
1. Lay Down a Sleep Schedule
I know we aren’t school going kids anymore. But that doesn’t mean that we should follow erratic sleeping schedules. Lay down a fix time for retiring to bed and also for getting up in the morning. Having a fixed time for everything will adjust your biological clock accordingly and you will be able to sleep at the fixed time everyday without the need for any sleeping pills. Avoid the temptation of middle of the week parties, watching TV till late at night or just hanging out with friends mindlessly so that you can stick to your time table.DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!!
Also, have a fixed time for getting up. Experts say that once your body starts getting enough sleep, you will be able to get up in the morning without even needing an alarm to wake you up.
2. Eat Sensibly at Night
Restrict the amount of fluids with your dinner so that you don’t have to get up to go to the loo too frequently and can sleep soundly.
Also, take care to avoid stimulating drinks like coffee after 6PM- its effects take 6-8 hours to wear off and it will keep you awake for hours, when your body craves for sleep. So, if you must have something to drink, have a glass of water with a dash of lime instead of a chilled frappe`.
You would also do well to stay away from alcohol before hitting the bed. I know there are skeptics who will point out that alcohol actually has a soothing effect and helps you sleep easily. Surely it does help you sleep. But you can’t sleep soundly after having too much of it.
The nicotine in cigarettes is another stimulant and smoking at bedtime could also disturb your sleep. Another reason to quit smoking.
3. Regulate Your Natural Sleep Cycle
Our body secretes a hormone called melatonin which is responsible for regulating our sleep cycle. The production of this hormone is affected by sunlight. Ideally, the brain should secrete more of it late in the evenings when it gets dark and less of it when there is light so that we can stay awake.Such are the compulsions of modern life that the body’s natural production of melatonin gets disrupted, making our sleep-wake patterns go haywire.
Most of us spend long hours away from natural light even during the day, which makes the brain feel sleepy during the day. And, the bright lights of the TV or the computer screen have just the opposite effect at night.
To regulate your natural wake-sleep cycle, increase your exposure to light during the day and restrict it during the night.
4. A Comfortable Bedroom
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- a) Wear comfortable clothes which are not too tight and allow your skin to breathe freely while you sleep.
- b) Get yourself a comfortable bed and mattress. Pillow is very important too. It is so important for me to get the right pillow that I actually carry mine along whenever I travel. YOU alone know how large your bed should be and how soft or hard your mattress should be.
- c) Your sleeping haven should be dark and noise free at night. To shut off any light from outside from disturbing you, get thick curtains or blinds and if you stay in a noisy neighborhood, go in for furnishings that will help you shut out some noise or buy yourself some cool earplugs.
- d) Make sure that you fan or air conditioner does not make too much noise.
5. Have Shorter Naps During Daytime, If You Must:
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If you must have a nap in the afternoon, make sure it is a ‘power nap’ lasting 20-30 minutes.
The timing of the nap is equally important. Take a nap towards the mid afternoon. Napping too late in the evening is likely to keep you awake till late at night.
6. Keep Stress Under Check
Though I have no problem in dozing off initially- I am snoring blissfully within five minutes of lying down (because of the tiring day I’ve had), I wake up at times at night and am unable to sleep again. My doctor says it is because of residual stress, anger and worries during the day. This is true for most of us.If you have been going through the same, just analyze your thoughts and figure out WHAT exactly is keeping you awake. What are the recurring themes? This will help you figure out the problems you need to address during the day.
Some of us cannot stop worrying even if we want to, even about the things which are beyond our control. Such people need to learn how to MANAGE their thoughts. Meditation has been found to be very helpful in this.
And if you are unable to sleep because you are worrying about the work at home, kids’ exams coming up, stress at the office or in handling relationships, you need to consult someone who can help you with stress management.
Getting rid of negative thoughts and factors that induce stress at bedtime help you sleep peacefully.
Try laughter therapy. Smiling and laughing are the best stress busters, and have no side effects either!
Laughter therapy- a great stress buster!
7. Have a Relaxing Bedtime Ritual
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The first step in that direction would be to make sure that you do nothing else on your bed except sleep (or, have sex). Hitting the bed in that case would mean your brain telling the body that you have had enough for the day and that it’s time to nod off.
Try some relaxing bedtime rituals like taking a warm water bath, listening to soft music, some light reading under a soft light, some light stretching exercises or yoga, or watching your favorite soap on the TV, etc.
Conclusion:
An occasional sleepless night should not worry you unnecessarily. But if you are unable to sleep peacefully night after night, it’s time you visited a doctor.If you are unable to sleep peacefully through the night (God forbid!), or know people who would want to know how to sleep better, do ask them to read these 7 simple tips for better sleep.
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