Getting a good night's sleep
It is common to experience a sleepless night occasionally. The following tips may help you sleep better.
- Reserve the bedroom only for sleeping and sexual activities so that you come to associate it with sleep. Go to another room to read, watch television, or eat.
- Avoid activities that might keep you from getting a good night's sleep:
- Do not take naps during the day, especially in the evening.
- Do not exercise strenuously within 2 hours of bedtime.
- Do not drink or eat caffeine after 3:00 p.m. This includes coffee, tea, cola drinks, and chocolate.
- Do not smoke or use other tobacco products. Nicotine can disrupt sleep and reduce total sleep time. Smokers report more daytime sleepiness and minor accidents than do non-smokers, especially in younger age groups.
- Do not drink alcohol. It may make you sleepy but also will probably wake you up after a short time.
- If you take medication that may be stimulating, such as antihistamines, decongestants, or asthma medications, take them as long before bedtime as possible.
- Create routines to help you sleep:
- Set a bedtime and time to get up, and stick to them, even on weekends. This will help your body get used to a regular sleep time.
- Exercise during the day.
- Wind down toward the end of the day. Don't take on problem-solving conversations or challenging activities in the evening.
- Take a warm bath before going to bed.
- After getting into bed, deliberately relax your muscles. Imagine yourself in a peaceful, pleasant scene.
- Keep your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet:
- Remove distractions from your bedroom, such as a clock, telephone, or radio.
- Use a humidifier or "white noise" machine to block out background noise in your bedroom throughout the night.
- Try wearing a sleep mask and earplugs at night.
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: April 17, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine Colin Chalk, MD, CM, FRCPC - Neurology | |
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