 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Tips For Getting Better Sleep
How to get a good nights sleep every night.
How to get a good nights sleep every night.
Do you have trouble falling asleep, or toss and turn in
the middle of the night? Awaken too early, or find
yourself not feeling refreshed in the morning? You are
not alone: millions of people struggle with falling and
staying asleep.
Unless you’re suffering from a serious sleep disorder,
simply improving your daytime habits and creating a
better sleep environment can set the stage for good
sleep. By developing a good bedtime routine and
designing a plan that works with your individual needs,
you can avoid common pitfalls and make simple
changes that bring you consistently better sleep.
the middle of the night? Awaken too early, or find
yourself not feeling refreshed in the morning? You are
not alone: millions of people struggle with falling and
staying asleep.
Unless you’re suffering from a serious sleep disorder,
simply improving your daytime habits and creating a
better sleep environment can set the stage for good
sleep. By developing a good bedtime routine and
designing a plan that works with your individual needs,
you can avoid common pitfalls and make simple
changes that bring you consistently better sleep.
Tip 1: Improving your daytime habits-
How can what you do during the day affect your sleep at night? Better sleep starts with good daytime
habits, from when (and how often) you exercise to what you eat and drink. Regular day exercise can
help you sleep. Regular exercise, aside from many other wonderful health benefits, usually makes it
easier to fall asleep and sleep better. You don’t have to be a star athlete to reap the benefits-- as little
as twenty to thirty minutes of activity helps. A brisk walk, a bicycle ride or a run is time well spent.
However, be sure to schedule your exercise in the morning or early afternoon. Exercising too late in the
day actually stimulates the body, raising its temperature. That’s the opposite of what you want near
bedtime, because a cooler body temperature is associated with sleep.
Tip 2: Get some daylight into your day-
We all have an internal body clock that helps regulate sleep. This clock is sensitive to light and dark.
Light tells your body clock to move to the active daytime phase. When you get up, open the shades or
go outside to get some sunlight. If that’s not possible, turn on the lights to make your environment
bright.
Tip 3: Watch that napping-
Perhaps the English had the right idea in having teatime in the late afternoon when you naturally get
sleepy. Some people can take a short afternoon nap and still sleep well at night. However, if you are
having trouble sleeping at night, try to eliminate napping. If you must nap, do it in the early afternoon,
and sleep no longer than about thirty minutes.
Tip 4: Alcohol, Caffeine, and Smoking-
Tip 5: How about that mattress-
Tip 6: How about that late night dinner-
Too much food, especially fatty, rich food. These take a lot of work for your stomach to digest and may
keep you up. Spicy or acidic foods in the evening can cause stomach trouble and heartburn, which
worsens as you are laying down.
Tip 7: Good snacks for the evening-
A light snack before bed, especially one which contains the amino acid tryptophan, can help promote
sleep. When you pair tryptophan - containing foods with carbohydrates, it helps calm the brain and
allow you to sleep better. For even better sleep, add some calcium to your dinner or nighttime snack.
On the other hand, you might want to avoid eating too much protein before bedtime - protein-rich foods
stimulates brain activity.
Tip 8: Find a new home for the TV-
How can what you do during the day affect your sleep at night? Better sleep starts with good daytime
habits, from when (and how often) you exercise to what you eat and drink. Regular day exercise can
help you sleep. Regular exercise, aside from many other wonderful health benefits, usually makes it
easier to fall asleep and sleep better. You don’t have to be a star athlete to reap the benefits-- as little
as twenty to thirty minutes of activity helps. A brisk walk, a bicycle ride or a run is time well spent.
However, be sure to schedule your exercise in the morning or early afternoon. Exercising too late in the
day actually stimulates the body, raising its temperature. That’s the opposite of what you want near
bedtime, because a cooler body temperature is associated with sleep.
Tip 2: Get some daylight into your day-
We all have an internal body clock that helps regulate sleep. This clock is sensitive to light and dark.
Light tells your body clock to move to the active daytime phase. When you get up, open the shades or
go outside to get some sunlight. If that’s not possible, turn on the lights to make your environment
bright.
Tip 3: Watch that napping-
Perhaps the English had the right idea in having teatime in the late afternoon when you naturally get
sleepy. Some people can take a short afternoon nap and still sleep well at night. However, if you are
having trouble sleeping at night, try to eliminate napping. If you must nap, do it in the early afternoon,
and sleep no longer than about thirty minutes.
Tip 4: Alcohol, Caffeine, and Smoking-
- Alcohol reduces overall quality of sleep. Many people think that a nightcap before bed will help
them sleep. While it may make you fall asleep faster, alcohol reduces your sleep quality, waking
you up later in the night. To avoid this effect, stay away from alcohol in the last few hours before
bed. - Caffeine. You might be surprised to know that caffeine can cause sleep problems up to ten to
twelve hours after drinking it! If you rely on coffee, tea or caffinated soda to keep you going
during the day, consider eliminating caffeine after lunch or cutting back your overall intake. - Smoking. Smoking causes sleep troubles in numerous ways. Nicotine is a stimulant, which
disrupts sleep. Additionally, smokers actually experience nicotine withdrawal as the night
progresses, making it hard to sleep.
Tip 5: How about that mattress-
- Is your bed large enough? Do you have enough room to stretch and turn comfortably in bed,
or are you cramped? Having a partner makes this even more important- both of you should have
plenty of room to stretch out. Consider getting a larger bed if you don’t have enough space. - Your mattress, pillows and bedding. Waking up with a cramp in your back or a sore neck?
You may want to experiment with different levels of mattress firmness and pillows that provide
more support. Experiment with different types of pillows – feather, synthetic, and special pillows
for side, back or stomach sleepers. Consider your bedding—scratchy sheets might be making
you uncomfortable in the middle of the night, or your comforter might not be keeping you warm
enough. Consider soft, breathable cotton sheets.
Tip 6: How about that late night dinner-
Too much food, especially fatty, rich food. These take a lot of work for your stomach to digest and may
keep you up. Spicy or acidic foods in the evening can cause stomach trouble and heartburn, which
worsens as you are laying down.
Tip 7: Good snacks for the evening-
A light snack before bed, especially one which contains the amino acid tryptophan, can help promote
sleep. When you pair tryptophan - containing foods with carbohydrates, it helps calm the brain and
allow you to sleep better. For even better sleep, add some calcium to your dinner or nighttime snack.
On the other hand, you might want to avoid eating too much protein before bedtime - protein-rich foods
stimulates brain activity.
Tip 8: Find a new home for the TV-
- Take the TV out of the bedroom - The optimum setup for better sleep is to have your
bedroom reserved for sleeping. So if you watch TV in bed, even if you don’t fall asleep watching
it, you are unconsciously associating another activity with the area you use to sleep. It’s best to
remove the TV from the bedroom entirely, saving your viewing for the living room or den.
- Trouble falling asleep without the TV - You may be so used to falling asleep with the TV that
you have trouble without it. Be patient. It takes time to develop new habits. If you miss the noise,
try turning on soft music or a fan. If your favorite show is on late at night, record it for viewing
earlier in the day. Although the first few days might be difficult, better sleep pays off in the long
run.
- Keep the noise level down. Too much noise- loud outside conversations, televisions blaring,
traffic noise - can make it difficult to sleep well. When the source of outside noise can’t be
eliminated, sometimes it can be masked. A fan or white noise machine can help block outside
noise. - Keep your room dark during sleep hours. Early morning light can send your body clock the
wrong signal that it is time to wake up. Or perhaps there is a street lamp shining right in your
window at night. - Reserve your bed for sleeping. Do you sometimes balance your checkbook propped up on
your pillows? Or jot down some notes for tomorrow’s meeting? It might feel relaxing to do tasks
like these on a comfortable bed. However, if you associate your bed with events like work or
errands, it will only make it harder to wind down at night. Use your bed only for sleep and sex. - Room temperature and ventilation. Who can sleep in a hot stuffy room? Or for that matter, a
cold drafty one? Most people sleep best in a slightly cooler room. Make sure that you have
adequate ventilation as well - a fan can help keep the air moving.
Copyright 2011 SD Mattress Man All rights reserved
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Call Sleep Centers to order your discount Mattress today. 858-569-0890 No other mattress store in San Diego can offer this discounted pricing that we have! |
| San Diego Mattress Man 8081 Balboa Ave San Diego, Ca 92111 858-569-0890 |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
San Diego Mission Bay
858-569-0890 619-275-2216
South Bay East County
619-216-1697 619-448-0991
858-569-0890 619-275-2216
South Bay East County
619-216-1697 619-448-0991