We all could probably benefit from a full night’s rest. Getting enough sleep not only helps you feel more alert and accomplish more each day, it also helps you stay healthy, happy, and can even help you lose weight. If you find you’re tossing and turning instead of sleeping at night, here are ten tips to help you get some rest.
1. Set a sleep schedule. For the best quality sleep, it is recommended that you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This not only helps you fall asleep faster, you’ll also be getting better amounts of the right kind of sleep, so you’ll wake up feeling even more rested.
2. Avoid stimulants. Most of us will be kept up for a while if we drink a cup of coffee or soda right before bed, but even if you drink it in the morning, you could still be feeling the effects. It may be hard in the beginning, but if you’re getting enough sleep, you don’t really need that pick-me-up in the morning.
3. Try natural remedies. Lavender is a great natural way to soothe yourself to sleep. You can put some fresh lavender in your pillow, or even buy a pillow or pillowcase woven from it. The gentle scent of the fabric will lull you to sleep for many years. If you’re looking for something a bit stronger, valerian root is commonly used to help people sleep.
4. Keep the spine curved. If you’re looking for a good night’s sleep, try curling up into the fetal position on your side with a pillow between your legs. This spinal position helps support your body perfectly and the pillow helps keep you from rolling to your stomach.
5. Keep your bedroom just for sleeping. If your bedroom is also where you watch TV, read, play games and do other activities, your brain will associate it with those activities and not with sleeping. Your bedroom should not have any distracting objects and should only be used for sleep. That way your body knows that when you go to bed, it’s time to rest.
6. Go to the gym. Regular exercise will not only make you happier and healthier, it will also help you sleep better. If you exercise, you tire your body out more and make it more prepared for rest. Plus, exercise will help you lose weight which can reduce snoring and disorders like sleep apnea.
7. Avoid alcohol. While alcohol is a depressant, it can disrupt your natural sleep cycle. Plus, many people have a bounce back effect and find themselves waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to go back to sleep.
8. Relax. Many of us try to go straight from our daily lives to bed and our bodies just can’t switch off. Try adding some unwinding before you go to bed. Listen to music or do something else that calms you. Many people benefit from specific relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation.
9. Drink a glass of warm milk. Milk, like many high protein foods, contains a chemical that makes you sleepy. It also has calcium that keeps you healthy and makes your body more reactive to the chemicals, letting you fall asleep faster.
10. See a doctor. If you’ve tried just about everything and still can’t rest, see your doctor. Not only can they give you medication and tips to help you sleep, they can also make sure your sleeping issues are not a symptom of a bigger problem.
