Are you finding it difficult to fall asleep when the lights are finally turned out at night?
Is it difficult to stay asleep for the entire period of the night?
Here are some easy tips that can help to ensure your quality and quantity of rest:
1. Turn down the lights!
It can not be said enough that the amount of light reaching the retina can either
increase or decrease one's melatonin production which will determine a person's ability
to fall asleep quickly.
2. Avoid drugs such as caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.
While it may seem rather obvious as to why one must avoid such stimulants as caffeine
and nicotine - because they are stimulants and they excite neural activity - the reason
behind why consuming alcohol before bed time may seem less clear. Because alcohol is a
depressant it works as an aid to SLOW neural activity and for many people it may help
in putting them to sleep; however, because alcohol is unnatural to the human body it will
disrupt one's internal biological clock and perhaps reset his or her sleep schedule.
In other words, we do not experience the basic sleep cycles while intoxicated as we would
sober. Also, drugs inhibit REM sleep, which is dream sleep, and in dreaming one's memory is
created to a certain degree and with these depressants a person is susceptible blacking
out and doing things they shouldn't then waking up without any recollection of it!
3. Create comforting pre-sleep routines
As bedtime approaches a person may want to indulge in activities that sooth
brain activity. These activities will be as simple as reading a book, taking a
bath, and watching T.V. (though try to refrain from light emitting screens in
the ten minutes before sleep). Activities to avoid would be ones that involve
physical labor, and stress.
4. Assure a normal sleep schedule:
In order for your body to rest easier it is imperative that one gets the same number
of hours of sleep per night and that they go to bed and wake up at particular times.
This is so that your body has time to wake up and get tired again all in a normal days cycle.
5. Exercise regularly:
While exercising in the hour before sleep is not ideal - because is gets blood rushing
to all parts of one's body, making them feel alive - a good workout at some point during the
day would not go unrewarded. For one maintaining healthy habits such as these is good
practice, but also it fatigues your body, making a person more tired.
6. Manage shift work:
What this means is only that if you are working the night shift multiple times
in a row you may be prone to sleep debt. Trying to work out your schedule so that you
are not losing so much sleep will be a good thing, but if this can not be done try to
create a dark atmosphere to your bedroom - dark curtains/shades, dark paint, low light,
and other things of that nature that can stimulate melatonin production in the brain.
7. COMFORT!
Finally we've reached our final tip and that is to assure that your body is
comfortable when trying to fall asleep. In the long winter months a thick wool comforter
will help in maintaining the appropriate body temperature with making a person sweat or
freeze to death. Sleeping on organic fibers such as cotton aid in natural comfort and
promotes deeper sleep, making it less likely for a person to awake in the middle of the night.
So there you have it, 7 tips that can help to eliminate stress and set your body back on track
to a natural sleep cycle - best of luck!
Eric is currently a student and part-time team member for Norfolk, VA based business Organic Comfort Zone, manufacturers of CozyPure organic bedding and mattress. For more information visit organiccomfortzone.com or cozypure.com or call 757.480.8500.