How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep
June 30, 2006 by Vixen
Every one knows that you get your optimal productivity on seven to eight hours of sleep a night. Anything more you are liable to like your bed too much to get up and anything less you are living on coffee and energy drinks to get you through the day.
For some of us, insomnia is an evil bane that ruins our moods and energy levels. For others we have evil neighbours who act like they are the only people on the block. Here are some tips to help you get your necessary rest.
- Go to bed earlier. The best & most restful hours of rest is between 10pm and 2am in the morning. It’s when your body gets replenished the quickest, your brain neurons get recharged and melanonin (sleep aid) is produced. The caveat about this is that you have to actually be in REM (deep sleep) before the time frame. It takes about 90 minutes of sleep to hit REM. So turn in early;) You might think that you will miss all your favorite shows (record them!) and feel like a grandma going to bed so early, but keep in mind that you will awaken around 5 or 6am very refreshed and have more hours in the morning for a personal routine (exercise, yoga, reading) that leaves you energized for the rest of the day.
- Do NOT exercise before bedtime. Sure it might be the only time in your schedule you have, but the thing about it is that exercise rejuvenates your mind & body and won’t help you settle down. It’s best to exercise at least 3-5 hours before you plan on hitting the sack.
- Invest in quality bedding. There is nothing that makes me sleep better than my 1000 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets. With my head on my down pillow while I lay on my Sealy Posturpedic mattress I love to lay on it even when I’m not sleeping. It’s a luxury that will well-serve you every single night.
- Buy some earplugs. Especially if you have noisy neighbors, are a light sleeper or the snoring of your significant other bothers you to no end.
- Cut down on caffeine, sodas & booze before it’s time to go to bed. They only serve to make your mind hyperactive.
- Have a going to sleep routine. Take a warm shower with lavender to relax you, write in your journal, talk to your sweetie right before you hit the sack. This signals your brain it’s time to go to bed and will enable you to fall asleep faster.
- Eat a light dinner, at least 4 hours before bedtime. That way you won’t be kept up with your stomach digesting that heavy meal you just ate.
- Have sex! There’s nothing like a good orgasm to relax your body and lull you to sleep.
A selection of posts
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Comments
Feel free to leave a comment...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!