The Better Sleep Council reports that 70 percent of Americans aren't getting enough sleep--seven and a half hours or more. The National Institutes of Health estimate that a third of adults have occasional insomnia, and 10 percent experience it on an ongoing basis. The problems resulting from lack of enough quality sleep are nearly endless. It increases risk of illness, prevents physical activity during the day, diminishes productivity (especially at work) and just leaves you feeling cranky and lousy. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to get better sleep, and all naturally, without the use of drugs.
Step 1
Be physically active during the day. According to Mary Susan Esther, president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, exercise in the morning or even early in the evening helps the body reach the deepest levels of sleep. The Mayo Clinic specifies aerobic exercise as the best type for getting to sleep faster and making it more restful.
Step 2
Follow a sleep schedule. The Mayo Clinic points out that by going to bed and waking up at the same time on a daily basis, you help set your body's natural sleep rhythm.
Step 3
Refrain from eating for at least two hours before bedtime. If you suffer from digestive or gastrointestinal problems, be selective about your last meal of the day, too, avoiding greasy or spicy foods or those that trigger symptoms. Also keep in mind that drinking a lot before bed can make you need to get up to urinate during the night, disturbing sleep cycles.
Step 4
Avoid smoking, caffeine and alcohol at night. All are stimulants that make it harder to fall asleep and that can disrupt sleep cycles. Ralph Downey III, chief of sleep medicine at Loma Linda University Medical Center, stresses the importance of avoiding alcohol. He explains that the widely held perception that alcohol can help you get to sleep is a myth, as its metabolization by the body interferes with sleep cycles.
Step 5
Establish a nighttime routine for winding down and telling your body it's time for sleep. The director of sleep education and research at Connecticut's Gaylord Hospital, Meir Kryger, calls these rituals amazingly helpful for getting better sleep. Routines shouldn't include stimulating activities. A cup of tea, a hot bath, reading or listening to soothing music are all useful ways to transition to sleep.
Step 6
Make your bedroom conducive to sleep. This includes reinforcing the idea that the bedroom is for sleeping. Don't use the room for work, watching television or other activities. U.S. News and World Report cites expert advice to only use the bedroom for sleep and sex. Your bedroom should be cool, comfortable, dark and quiet to promote sleep.
Step 7
Put some time between working or other activities and bedtime. The medical director at Boston's Sleep HealthCenters, Lawrence Epstein, advises that the body needs transitional time between the things that can cause us stress and sleep.
Step 8
Make sure your mattress is comfortable. Bed-related discomfort is a major source of sleep difficulties, as well as aches and pains the next day. According to the Better Sleep Council, mattresses that are too old (five to seven years old) are the primary problem. It quotes a study from Oklahoma State University that found that a newer mattress increases comfort about 71 percent and sleep quality about 62 percent.
Step 9
Manage your stress. According to the Better Sleep Council, stress is costing 65 percent of Americans necessary sleep. There are many ways to reduce stress, from exercise to relaxing and enjoyable activities to deep breathing exercises or meditation. If you need help coping with stress, talk to a mental health professional.
Tips and Warnings
- Often, your spouse or partner can be an obstacle to adequate sleep. The Better Sleep Council says that one in three people attribute some sleep difficulties to their partner. The problems can include snoring, kicking, tossing and turning, different temperature or mattress texture preferences, mismatched sleep schedules and others. It's important to find solutions to these issues. Compromises, a bigger or new bed, snoring preventatives or even agreeing to sleep separately may be necessary.
- If nothing seems to help you sleep better, talk to your doctor or a sleep specialist to check for sleep disorders like sleep apnea or other conditions that may be interfering with your rest. Don't take naps, or limit them to 30 minutes. The Mayo Clinic points out that whatever sleep you get during the day may be subtracted from nighttime sleep. Although physical activity is conducive to a good night's sleep, exercising too close to bedtime makes it difficult for many people to fall asleep.
