Snooze

Do you want to wake up refreshed, ready for a productive day? Too often, we wake up feeling sluggish, drained of energy, and not ready to tackle what's in store for the day ahead. If that happens to you chances are you are not getting the sleep you need to achieve life's goals. Read on for 10 sleep tips that can help improve your sleep patterns starting today.

1. The first step is to establish a regular routine. Each day you should try to get up at the same time of the day and go to bed at same time of night. It's tempting to have an erratic schedule since there are so many demands on our time. However, keeping a schedule is important and not just for the weekdays but also the weekends.
2. Avoid heavy meals before bedtime as eating too heavy a meal can make it difficult for the stomach to digest food.Don't eat spicy foods especially if you are prone to getting heartburn. Last but not least, limit the amount of liquids you take in before bedtime as you don't want to be waking up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
3. Exercise improves circulation to the brain and body and can help reduce stress which in turn can help you go to sleep. However, don't exercise within 2 hours of wanting to go to sleep as this might actually stimulate you too much to fall asleep right away.
4. Reading can be a great way to relax prior to going asleep. However, you should avoid excessive TV or computer use before bedtime as this can over stimulate your brain and make it hard to get to sleep.
5. Plan to reduce stress by listening to music or through meditation and/or prayer. Take a warm bath or shower, but make sure the water temperature is not too hot. Other relaxers can be aromatherapy, deep breathing or visualizing a peaceful, stress free setting.
6. Your bedroom should be used for sleep. Keep noise level down when you're trying to sleep which is one reason why to not watch TV while trying to fall asleep. Your bedroom should be dark and cool, and make sure the bed and pillows are comfortable.
7. Sleep at night. Don't get in the habit of napping and sleeping during the day.
8. Don't drink alcohol before going to bed. While drinking alcohol may initially help you get to sleep, it is actually a stimulant and can interfere with your ability to stay asleep.
9. Don't smoke. Besides being unhealthy, smoking acts as a stimulant. Research has shown smokers are 4 times as likely as nonsmokers to report feeling unrested after a night's sleep. Additionally, smokers actually experience nicotine withdrawal as the night progresses, making it hard to sleep.
10. Avoid caffeine in coffee, sodas, teas, chocolate etc. Caffeine is a stimulant which keeps you from sleeping. Don't have any 8 hours before bed because caffeine stays in the body for a long time. It generally takes about 3-5 hours for the body to eliminate half the caffeine and the effects of caffeine can remain in your body for 8-14 hours. Older people's bodies take even longer to process caffeine, and so they'll want to stop caffeine intake even earlier in the day.

Follow these tips and start waking rested and refreshed.

Article Source: Pro Healthy Life