A healthy sleep pattern can easily take a backseat to lifestyle full of work, stress and hours spent in front of a television or computer screen. If you feel exhausted throughout the day, only to stare up at the ceiling for hours once you lie down in bed, you have entered a cyclical pattern that adversely affects your health and productivity. To undo this cycle, you need to adapt your lifestyle to accommodate an adequate amount of quality sleep every night.
Step 1
Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. By doing this, even on weekends or if you aren’t working on a set schedule, you can train your body to fall asleep when it’s time for bed, says the American Academy of Family Physicians. Likewise, your body will be more likely to naturally arise if its internal alarm clock is set for the same time every day.
Step 2
Set up your bedroom so that you associate bed with sleep. If you put a television or a work desk in your bedroom, you will be less likely to think sleepy thoughts when you enter your bedroom to sleep. You should feel more relaxed at bedtime if you use your bedroom for sleep and sex only, claims the American Academy of Family Physicians. Also make sure your sleep environment is comfortable enough for sleep; take into consideration how comfortable you feel with your bedding, the room temperature and the light and noise levels.
Step 3
Cut out sleep-disturbing foods and beverages before bed. Consuming caffeinated beverages or chocolate four to six hours before bedtime can stimulate your body too much for sleep to come easily, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Also regulate your alcohol intake; drinking alcohol within the same time frame before bed may cause you to fall asleep faster, but it will act as a stimulant as it leaves your body during sleep. Other foods to avoid four to six hours before bed include sugary, spicy or heavy foods.
Step 4
Create and consistently implement a bedtime routine. Whether it’s a light snack of warm milk and a banana or reading a book and taking a bath, you should do the same thing every night before you sleep so that you eventually connect such activities with sleep and relaxation prior to bed, notes the American Academy of Family Physicians. If you’re particularly stressed, practice relaxation methods such as deep breathing, journaling or doing yoga before you go to bed.
Step 5
Talk to a doctor if you continue to have problems. Having insomnia for a couple of nights may not pose a big problem for most people. However, if your lack of sleep is persistent and it impacts your ability to function during the day, your doctor can prescribe a short-term medication or assign a behavioral program to help you surmount the hurdle, suggests the National Sleep Foundation.
