If you've ever found yourself struggling through your
mornings, groggy and unfocused, you're not alone. According
to the National Sleep Foundation, more than half of adults
have experienced the frustration of insomnia.
Sleepless nights are more than a matter of frustration.
Having a hard time falling asleep eventually can lead to
depression, health problems and even lead to accidents.
Stress at work and stress over financial problems top the
list of most polls about why people toss and turn instead
of getting a good night's sleep. But you can break the
cycle of sleepless nights, and wake up feeling rested and
alert to make your days the best yet!
8 Ways to Get a Good Night's Sleep
1. Stop worrying. Worrying over losing sleep only adds to
the accumulated stress from work, family problems or
finances that is keeping you awake in the first place.
Short-term insomnia lasts from a few nights to a few weeks,
and there are pro-active steps you can take to get a better
night's sleep. So stop worrying! If you still have insomnia
after a month, then call a doctor.
2. Don't exercise within two hours before bedtime.
Exercising immediately before bedtime, or even two hours
before, can thwart your efforts to relax. You want your
energy levels to be down, not up, so create a no-exercise
zone in those hours before you want to fall asleep.
3. Avoid stimulants. Avoid caffeine after noon, and avoid
alcohol and smoking, especially before bedtime. Instead,
try a soothing cup of non-caffeinated tea. Chamomile tea is
a favorite. Look for other calming teas that contain herbs
such as passion flower, skullcap or valerian.
4. Create a Sleep Comfort Zone. Your Sleep Comfort Zone
should be cool Studies suggest the optimum temperature for
falling asleep and sleeping comfortably is about 65 degrees
Fahrenheit. Make your Comfort Zone dark and quiet, turning
off all electronics. If you have a bedside clock that you
can hear ticking, buy another clock. Don't work, eat, watch
television or read in bed.
5. Drink fewer liquids at night. You don't want to wake up
in the middle of a restful sleep for a trip to the
bathroom. Make that one cup of hot tea instead of two cups.
Or switch to a half a cup of water instead of a glass of
water before bedtime.
6. Sleep only at bedtime. Taking long naps in the afternoon
after sleepless nights will only disrupt your goal to
achieve a normal sleep cycle. Stop yourself from the urge
to nap, and you'll look forward to a more restful sleep at
night.
7. Make the bedroom a No Worry Zone. Don't save your
worries for bed. Mentally create a time of the day to focus
on your worries, and think about or write down your worries
in another room of the house at that time. Visualize your
bedroom as a No Worry Zone. Write this new rule on a piece
of paper and place it on your nightstand to remind you.
Before you go to bed, say out loud: I will think about my
problems tomorrow.
8. Divert yourself. If you can't fall asleep after 15
minutes, leave the bedroom and do something relaxing. Take
a bath, read a few pages of a book or do some gentle
stretching exercises. Instead of tossing and turning
because you can't fall asleep, you are diverting your
attention to a pleasant, relaxing activity. After 20 or 30
minutes, go back to the bedroom. If it doesn't work, repeat
this exercise.
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Ruth Klein is an award-winning business owner, best-selling
author and marketing and time management consultant whose
clients range from solo entrepreneurs to the Fortune 500.
To learn more about how to better manage your time, visit
Ruth Klein's catalogue of newsletters, books and seminars
at http://www.ruthklein.com .
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