Few Things for a Good Night Sleep

Sleep is the key to optimal health. Waking up with a smile on your face is the first step to a fulfilled and joyful day. But for some of us it seems the doom of constant turning in bed and staring aimlessly at the ceiling doesn't stop. Here are few basic tips to help you fix this problem.

1. Have or make a regular sleeping schedule. Wake up and go to bed at the same time every day and night, even on weekends and days off. This consistency will teach your body when to surrender to rest, and when to action. Don’t skip days, like on Saturday because you aren't working – this will disrupt that routine your metabolism has created in the previous days.

You will be sleepy during the day, low in energy, you won’t like to engage in activities and it will be hard to fall asleep the next night. I'm not saying to forget the nightlife, but if you have trouble sleeping, it is more important to dedicate time to this part of your health than miss one weekend at the club. Approximately, you will need 10-15 days for the body to get used to a certain routine. Also, try to kill the drowsiness after dinner, if it's not time for sleeping yet. Get up and do some activity, like washing dishes, a game or something stimulating. If you rely solely on sleepiness and sleep, you will wake up later in the night, and it will be very difficult to fall asleep again.

2. Try a natural regulation of the sleeping routine. Melatonin is a hormone that is responsible for regulating the sleep cycle. Its production is controlled by exposure to light - for better sleep you need more production of melatonin at night, and less during the day to avoid drowsiness. This means that during the day we need to be more exposed to natural light, to prevent the production of melatonin. To do this, get out as often while the sun is out, open the blinds and curtains in your office and home, remove the sunglasses when you are outside. To stimulate the production of melatonin before bed, turn off the TV and computer, do not read eBooks or use electronic readers, set the sleeping area as darker as possible, and try not to turn many lights when you go to the bathroom at night.

In case you can't regulate Melatonin production in this manner, you can try using Melatonin supplements. The good ones are fast dissolving and natural tablets, which you take before going to sleep. 

Melatonin Fast Dissolve 5 mg 90 Tabs 

3. Watch what you eat and drink. Do not go to bed starving or overfed. Either of these two will cause discomfort and won’t let you sleep. If you are very hungry before bed, a glass of warm milk (it’s not a myth, it works) or a banana is a good idea. Also, be careful how much fluid you drink before bedtime to prevent frequent visits to the toilet at night. Nicotine, caffeine and alcohol are three things to avoid before bedtime. Stimulative effects of nicotine and caffeine last for hours, depending on your metabolism. Alcohol seems to help sleep easier, but causes disruption of sleep later in the night.

4. Create a bedtime ritual. Rituals can mean many things, but it is important to repeat them every night before bed, so your body has to learn to prepare for sleep. Set yourself a ritual that suits you best: warm shower, reading a book, soft music in the dark, massage cream and body alike. Something that is easy, affordable and relaxing. Watch TV, computer and other electronic devices, they are not a good idea for ritual before bedtime, avoid them.

     

Click on these photos to browse a quality pillow, or a night mask and ear buds.

5. Get comfortable. Decorate a room to be ideal for sleeping. Mostly this means for the room to be cool, dark and quiet. Consider the use of an eye mask, ear buds, fan or other cooling device to make the necessary atmosphere. It is not advisable to sleep in a warm room. Very important parts of comfort are the mattress and the pillow. This is an individual need, so choose a mattress and a pillow that best suits you personally. If you are sharing the bed with someone else, make sure it has enough space for the both of you. If you have children or pets, set limits on who can sleep in your bed.

6. Limit daily naps. Long daily naps disturb a good night's sleep, especially if you have problems with insomnia. If you decide to sleep during the day, it should not be more than 30 minutes, and it should be before 6 pm.

7. Include physical activity in your everyday life. Regular physical activity is the cause of better sleep, helping you fall asleep faster and enjoy deep sleep. If you exercise at night or before bedtime, you can raise the energy levels, and thus have difficulty falling asleep. It is best to exercise during the day.

8. Get your stress levels under control. When you have many responsibilities and have many things in mind – it is difficult to sleep. Find healthy ways to deal with stress. Start of the basic things, organize obligations and responsibilities, set your priorities for each day and try to share responsibilities with a loved one (friend, relative, spouse, etc.).

9. Pay attention to laughter! Strive to laugh more in the day, spend time with optimistic people, the people who can make you laugh, read funny jokes, watch funny videos etc. Before bedtime, choose not to think about the problems you have, and leave them for the next day. It can’t be resolved while you are in bed anyway, so get a good night sleep and you will have 70% better chances in solving a problem the next day.

When to seek help from a specialist

Almost every person sometimes has trouble sleeping. It is not unusual for at least one of the above mentioned things to get messed up or forgotten and disturb a person’s sleeping cycle. But if you have frequent problems with falling or staying asleep, it is better to contact a specialist. A professional can identify and treat the problem, which may not be in the physical environment where you sleep. If you have some of the below listed symptoms, you might have some kind of a sleeping disorder and the best thing is to see a doctor:

• Persistent sleepiness and fatigue during the day;

• Loud snoring with pauses in breathing;

• Difficulty falling asleep or interruption of sleep;

• Sleep which tires;

• Frequent headaches in the mornings;

• Numbness when sleeping or waking;

• Turning and moving while dreaming;

• Falling asleep in any part of the day;