Thursday 19 July 2012

Sleep



Story of my life.

I have known this post was coming up for weeks and weeks. I knew sleep was an area I really needed to target. I even looked up 'Sleep Hygiene' (see below). These tips all seemed very sensible. I had big plans.

I tried. I failed. Even when I managed to get into bed at a reasonable time, I would stare at the ceiling for a couple hours then get out of bed anyways.

So, I toss out the question to you: what are your tips to getting a good night sleep consistently?





How to get a good night sleep (also known as 'Sleep Hygiene')
1.       Fixed bedtime and awakening time.

2.       No napping.

3.       No alcohol 4-6 hours before bedtime.

4.       No caffeine 4-6 hours before bedtime.

5.       No heavy, spicy, or sugary foods 4-6 hours before bedtime.

6.       Exercise regularly, but not within 2 hours of bedtime.

7.       Use comfortable bedding.

8.       Find a comfortable temperature for sleeping (cool, not cold, is best).

9.       Block distracting noise.

10.   Reserve the bed for sleep and sex.

11.   Try a light snack before bed. (They suggest warm milk and foods high in tryptophan like bananas.)

12.   Practice relaxation techniques before bed (e.g. yoga, deep breathing).

13.   Don’t take your worries to bed.

14.   Establish a pre-sleep ritual.

15.   Get into your favourite sleeping positing. If you are not sleeping 15-30 minutes later, go to another room to read until you are sleepy.

16.   If you wake up in the middle of the night, get out of your bed if you are not sleeping within 15-
20 mins. Leave the bedroom; go read, have a snack, or do something else that is quiet. No screen time. No office work or housework.

17.   Minimize screen time before bed. Listening to the radio is ok.

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