Helpful Tips for Getting a Good Night's Sleep!

Most of us have experienced a night of where we just couldn’t get to sleep, or kept waking up in the middle of the night. In fact, most of us haven't experienced a good night's sleep since our oldest child was born!

While one night of not sleeping can be annoying, persistent insomnia can have negative consequences on our work, personal relationships, and health. If you just haven’t been able to get a good night’s sleep, here are some tips and tricks you can use to catch some z’s.

Watch What You Eat!

• Avoid caffeine and other stimulants. You may think you’re okay if you don’t drink caffeine before bedtime, but stimulants can stay in our bodies for up to 6 hours. If you’re having trouble sleeping. Try not to drink caffeine after lunch time.
• Don’t drink alcohol. This may put you to sleep right away, but you’re much more likely to wake up in the night and have a much less restful sleep.
• Try some tryptophan. This is the chemical in turkey that makes you sleepy. It’s also found with most protein. Try eating a little protein with some complex carbohydrates at night. You could also try a warm glass of milk, another good source of tryptophan.
• Avoid a big dinner. A lot of food late at night provides you energy and actually helps wake you up. It can also cause painful indigestion that will keep you from sleeping. Try eating a moderate dinner and a small bedtime snack instead.

Watch Your Sleeping and Bedtime Habits!

• Have a set sleeping schedule. Our bodies thrive on schedules and rhythms. Waking up and going to bed at a set time will help your body develop a normal sleeping rhythm.
• Get darkness and light. Another way to help set your natural rhythms is to make your bedroom dark or wear a mask while you’re sleeping. Shortly after you wake up in the morning, expose yourself to the sun or other bright lights.
• Start a bedtime ritual. Our bodies develop natural responses to what we do. If you follow a certain pattern before you go to sleep every night, your body will know it’s time for sleep when you do these things. This will help you fall asleep faster and easier.
• Only sleep in your bedroom. You’re much less likely to be able to sleep in a place where you work, read, or watch T.V. If you sleep and only sleep in your bedroom, your mind won’t be occupied by other things.

Watch the Stress!

• Take a warm bath. This will soothe your muscles and help you relax. Just be sure your bath isn’t too hot; it can actually make you more awake.
• Try deep breathing and visualization. These can not only help calm you and prepare you for rest, they can also clear your mind and push away stressful thoughts.
• Avoid stimulating activities. This includes not reading or watching T.V. before bed. Instead of relaxing and sleeping, you’ll end up thinking about what you saw or read.

If you find that none of these techniques work for you, you may also want to look at herbal remedies that will calm you and help you rest. If all else fails, you should pay a visit to your doctor.