Natural Better Night's Sleep Tips

Do you find yourself having trouble falling asleep? Are there times you can easily fall asleep, but then awaken 5 hours later and have great difficulty falling back to sleep? Have you awaked on numerous occasions at night or have difficulty keeping asleep? You are one a great many people in America who have some form of trouble sleeping. What follows are a group of tips to help you sleep better.


Daytime Tips

Don't take a daytime nap. A daytime nap will make it harder to sleep at bedtime.

Open your curtains to sunlight or turn on the lights after you awaken. Bright light helps your body reset its internal clock and tells you it is time to awaken.

Be careful with alcohol caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine is a stimulant and will keep you awake. Alcohol has been known to disrupt sleep habits.

Exercise. Exercise helps to stimulate your body and mind. Dont exercise before bedtime though.

Limit the use of Tobacco products. The Nicotine in tobacco is stimulating and can keep you awake.



Better Bedroom Tips

The bedroom is for sleeping and intimacy. Daytime activities should be restricted in the bedroom.

A peaceful and mellow environment. Make sure there is enough fresh air and that your bedroom is quiet with perhaps some soft music. Run a white noise machine or use a sleep session before bed.

A large and comfortable Bed. A large enough bed will help you and your bedmate sleep comfortably. Make sure your mattress works for both of you. Memory foam pillows can prevent strain on your neck and pillows on either side of your body can prevent back strain.



Pre-sleep Tips

A splash of cool water. One of my favorites is to gently splash myself with cool water before bed. The coolness tends to slow down the body's metabolism and make you more restful.

Maintain a constant schedule. Your body's clock works best when you go to bed and awaken at the same time every day.

Use sleep time cues. Soft music in the background, a cup of sleepytime tea, etc.will make your subconscious mind realize that it is getting to be time for sleep.

Don’t eat greasy foods before bed. Heavy oils can cause heartburn and make your sleep shallow and unrestful.

Limit fluids before bedtime. If you drink too much before bed you may find yourself awakening to use the facilities.

Some foods can help with sleep. Tryptophan in turkey, milk, and peanuts, can be converted into serotonin, which helps you sleep.

Forget your worries. Fear of what could happen is a stimulant that you don't need at bedtime. Work out your alternatives to cope with your fears and take action on them during the day.

Meditate before bed. Meditation or Hypnosis programs before bed will quiet the mind and make it easier to fall asleep.


Going back to sleep Tips

Guided Imagery. Pleasant and monotonous mental images will help you drift back off to sleep. Try watching the ocean waves going in and out on the shoreline in your mind; or picture birds sleeping, or watch the gentle breathing of you chest

If you just cant go back to sleep. Try to do something relaxing out of bed...Hatha Yoga exercises done slowly can help. A video of nature scenes can often work wonders. Just don't lie there worrying about not sleeping.

Leave the lights off or put them on very low. Intense light tells the mind that it is time to wake up and it will keep you awake for several hours.

Use something with soft mellow sounds or music. Loud rapid tempo sounds and music stimulate the mind. Instead play music or sounds that are slower and with less volume