Perhaps the worst way to begin a day is by waking up with half a night’s worth of sleep. No matter how much one takes care of one’s diet and physical fitness if the day does not commence with a good night’s sleep nothing will seem fine in the morning. The work will appear to be mundane, the weather will seem disturbing, the colleagues will look intolerable and so the list will go on.
It is a well known fact that sleep affect’s the way one feels, behaves and thinks so this is something that cannot be taken lightly. If one is suffering from lack of proper and undisturbed sleep then one must read on in order to know how can one sleep peacefully and get reenergized for the forthcoming day.
The Power of Naps:
Power naps are great and one must learn the trick of taking a little nap now and then whenever the time permits. This is very important for those who do not get even seven hours of sleep at night at one go. A ten minutes worth of nap will fuel the body with enough energy to work for the next two hours continuously. Remember that naps are meant to be short and sweet; prolonging it will make one drowsy so try not to exceed it to more than twenty minutes in one stretch.
Regulate the Time to Sleep:
Sleeping will become easier when put into a regular schedule. Keep a fixed time for going to bed and maintain this even on weekends. Once the body gets used to this pattern sleep will automatically come when one goes to bed. There is a biological clock that the body gets used to. Erratic hours of slumber will interrupt with this mechanism and disrupt sleep.
Lessen the Caffeine:
those who drink mug after mug of coffee will often complain of sleeplessness. There is little wonder in knowing that the ones who gorge on drinks teeming with caffeine will suffer from sleeplessness. Stop drinking too much of coffee or aerated drinks because the caffeine in them is known to spoil sleep. The last cup of coffee should be in the evening at least five hours before going to bed. Anything after that will keep the nerves in high alert unnecessarily.
Remember to Exercise:
It is a good habit to exhaust the body intelligently in order to get sleep. One might very well jog for at least forty minutes in the morning, take yoga classes or simply play tennis for fun after work gets over. Working out will help one to keep fit, active, relax and induce sleep at the right time. It must be remembered that all working out must be done in the morning. Exercising in the evening or late in the night will have an adverse effect on sleep.
The Right Food for Sleep:
Eating has got a lot to do with sleep. Eat in right quantities. Eating too much or too less is bad for sleep. Going to bed with a completely empty stomach is not advisable because the chemicals released by the stomach during the absence of food for such lengthy hours might cause ulcers. One must remember to eat a few hours before going to sleep in order to avoid feeling restless and uncomfortably full in bed. Drink enough water throughout the day but not exactly before going to bed because drinking too much before sleeping will make one rush to the toilet in the middle of the night and drinking too little will make one wake up with pangs of thirst.
Fresh Bed Mattress and Pillows:
Remember to replace mattresses and pillows frequently. Sleeping on the same pillow year after year is unhealthy because many kinds of bacteria begin to breed in it. Ideally one must change one’s pillows every three years. In the case of mattresses remember to keep it clean by vacuuming it now and then. Take it on the terrace and let it remain under the bright sun soaking up all its heat because this process gets rid of many kinds of pathogens that might begin to breed within the folds of the mattress. Health experts have often advised replacing the mattresses once in every seven years. The wrong sleeping posture brought about by the wrong kind of bedding will give one body aches the next day.
Creating the Right Ambience:
It is indeed very difficult to sleep when the atmosphere of the room is disturbing. The bedroom is one of the most sacred places on earth because it is where one retires after each day of rigorous hard work. This is the place to rejuvenate and relax and be ready for all the challenges that the next day will bring. Keep the bedroom clean and tidy, invest in a good quality curtain that blocks out all the harsh sunlight from the room. If required then coat the walls with the sleep friendly color like sky blue or dull green. Avoid vivid shades of yellow, orange or red because they have been known to affect sleeping patterns. Make sure the bed linen is comfortable, wash bed sheets and pillow cases every week and install mild lights in the room.
Read New Books:
Get into the habit of reading because it is universally known that a book at bed time helps one to sleep better. However it is advisable to not grab a nail biting thriller because such books will only help in keeping sleep away by stretching the suspense and exciting the curiosity of the reader. If one is not too much into reading serious stuff then one can just flip through a regular magazine about fashion, lifestyle or home décor to lull oneself to sleep.
Lavender:
Lavender oil has been known to be nature’s sleep inducer. Put a drop or two of lavender oil on the pillow before going to bed and before one even realizes it one will begin to doze off peacefully.
Milky Way:
Warm milk is sleep’s best friend. It is very comforting after a day of hard work. A glass of warm milk sweetened according to one’s preference will ease all the trouble that the day has brought about and make one feel sleepy in no time!
Chronic insomnia is however not something to be ignored. If the sleepless nights continue in unnatural frequencies then one must definitely consider visiting a doctor. Let the doctor know about all that is interfering with one’s sleep and it is wise to be truthful to him. Another important thing must be remembered at all times – one must never try to have sleeping pills without consulting a doctor. Medicine shops are forbidden to sell sleeping pills without prescription but even if one finds an opportunity, one should refrain from having it without a physician’s consent as it can prove to be lethal.
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