Sleep
Disturbances
Some activities can interfere with sleep — especially
if you engage in them too close to bedtime:
Exercise
Avoid exercising within three hours of bedtime. Some
people try to tire themselves out by exercising close
to bedtime. This tactic can backfire, since exercise
actually stimulates the body by speeding up the heart
rate and metabolism. There’s a positive flip side:
Exercising on a regular basis (during the day, ideally)
may help you sleep well at night. Otherwise, you may
want to consider what I believe to be the best natural
sleep aid
available.
Smoking
Nicotine is a stimulant that can keep you awake. Avoid
smoking in the six hours before your bedtime.
Alcohol
Although alcohol may seem to help you fall asleep,
it can disrupt your normal during the second half
of the night and leave you feeling unrested. It’s
best to avoid alcohol before bedtime.
Caffeine
Caffeine can delay your sleep and cause you to wake
up during the night. Avoid caffeinated drinks and
foods (coffee, tea, cola, chocolate) after noon. You
may want to try avoiding caffeine entirely to see
if your sleep improves.
Liquids
Avoid drinking fluids before bedtime to decrease urges
to go the bathroom during the night.
If your efforts to avoid common obstacles leave you
still seeking sleep, you might want to talk to your
doctor about ways to get better sleep.
When are we going to wake up to the realization that
we need our sleep? Sometimes we find it necessary
to improvise during the day if we missed out on precious
sleep. If you’re dealing with a sleep deficit, here
are some ideas that might help pull you through a
sluggish day:
Eye-Opening Tips for Staying Alert:
• Keep moving to energize your body
• Eat a good breakfast
• Avoid sugar and junk food “highs” because you’ll
crash and burn faster. Try healthy snacks instead.
• Go outside for a breath of fresh air
Don’t let your fatigue take over while you’re driving
either. Watch out for signs you’re too tired behind
the wheel.
Signs of Drowsy Driving:
• Excessive yawning
• Head nodding
• Difficulty concentrating
• Can’t remember driving the last few miles
• Drifting between lanes or off the road
Simple solutions to tired driving are to pull off
the road at a rest stop to take a nap, let your spouse
or friend take the wheel and realize that loud radios
and cold air-conditioning simply won’t work to keep
you awake and safe on the road.
And so it ends some sleepy time suggestions for a
better night’s rest. The moral to this bedtime story
is that sleeping for at least seven hours will carry
you far in every facet of the waking hours of your
life.
Good night, sleep well and sweet dreams!
