50 Useful Tips For Better Sleep
You can sleep without pills
and still beat insomnia.
The fifty following tips will help you
to have a better night's sleep.
1.
Try
to relax before bedtime; take a walk or read a newspaper;
just do something which is not
stressful.
2. Do your paperwork or other
work-related activities early in
the evening.
3. Make sure your bedroom is
not noisy.
4. If your bedroom is noisy
and you can't correct it, wear earplugs.
5. Think of places you fell
asleep easily and try to copy those
places; set your room up the same way.
6. Check the medicines you
are taking to see that they aren't
nervous system stimulants.
7. Make sure your bedroom is
well-ventilated but not too cold.
8. Don't use too many or too
few blankets.
9. Don't tuck your sheets in
too tight at the bottom of the bed;
your feet should feel free and
unrestricted.
10. Your mattress should not
sag.
11. Have a big enough bed for
yourself; if you're 6'8", don't try
sleeping in a single bed.
12. Your pajamas or nightgown
should be comfortable, not too tight.
13. Use a pillow that suits
you, soft or firm, whichever you
prefer; or not at all, if that's what you prefer.
14. If you like a soft light
on while you sleep, have one on.
15. If you prefer to sleep in
darkness make sure your blinds are
thick.
16. Rise at the same time
seven days a week, no matter what.
17. Do not linger in bed when
you wake up; instead, get up right
away and start moving on with your
morning routine.
18. Avoid napping in the
afternoon.
19. Do some sort of physical
exercise each day which will tire
you out.
20. Cut down on smoking and
drinking alcohol at least two hours
before bedtime.
21. Don't drink coffee or
soft drinks containing caffeine after
dinner.
22. If you like to watch TV
before going to bed, keep it light;
watch a comedy instead of a drama.
23. If you like to read
before going to bed, keep it light. Read
to a logical stopping point, so you
won't lie awake wondering
what's going to happen.
24. Don't socialize with
friends with whom you are likely to
argue in the evening. Nighttime
arguments are like poison to an
insomniac.
25. Establish a regular
bed-time.
26. Avoid eating too much
salt with your dinner and in any
after-dinner snacks.
27. Try eating snacks high in
calcium and protein before
retiring; small amounts of cheese and nuts contain Tryptophan,
an amino acid which promotes sleep.
28. Take bone meal tablets or
some other form of calcium
regularly after dinner.
29. Herbal teas such as
camomile and valerian induce sleep.
30. Try a teaspoon of
brewer's yeast and a tablespoon of molasses
in a glass of milk.
31. Don't forget about a
glass of warm milk before bed; it does
work.
32. A teaspoon of honey in a
cup of hot water is said to induce
sleep.
33. Another old-fashioned
remedy is to take two teaspoons of cider
vinegar with two teaspoons honey in a
glass of warm water.
34. Ask your spouse which
sleeping position you sleep most soundly
in; try to assume that position upon
retiring.
35. Don't go for 8 hours of
sleep; you may only need 4 to 6 hours.
36. Spend no more than 3
minutes thinking about the day's problems
when you are in bed.
37. If you find it difficult
to sleep with your spouse, try getting
twin beds or separate bedrooms.
38. The optimum temperature
for sleep is 60 to 64 degrees F.
39. Relax before bed in a
warm bath.
40. Buy a humidifier to keep
your room warm in the winter without
drying out the air too much.
41. Add a tablespoon of dry
mustard powder to your before-bed bath.
42. Add baking soda to the
bath water.
43. Footbaths before bed
help.
44. Before bed, listen to
relaxing music.
45. When you are in bed,
recall the happiest experiences of your
life.
46. Ask someone to read aloud
to you in bed before you go to sleep.
47. Lie on your back in bed
and relax each muscle in your body.
48. Visualize various parts
of your body relaxing.
49. Concentrate on doing some
deep breathing as you lie in bed.
50. If all else fails, try
counting sheep; it's an age-old cure and
has helped many an insomniac get a
good night's sleep.
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