1. Sleep as much as needed to feel refreshed during the following day (usually 8 hours). Sleeping too much is as detrimental as sleeping too little.
2. Get up at the same time each day, seven days a week. (A regular wake-up time in the morning leads to regular times of sleep onset.)
3. A steady amount of activity during the day is conducive to sleep at night.
4. Insulate your bedroom against random outside noises, block out light, and avoid drastic changes in room temperature.
5. Excessively warm rooms will disturb sleep; keep the room temperature 65° to 70° F.
6. Hunger may disturb sleep. A light snack at bedtime may help sleep.
7. Avoid liquids during the two-hour period prior to bedtime, in order to minimize the need for nighttime trips to the bathroom.
8. Avoid caffeinated beverages in the evening. No coffee or tea after 6pm, switch to decaffeinated soft drinks.
9. Avoid alcohol in the evening. Although alcohol helps tense people fall asleep more easily, the second half of the night is very disrupted. Evening alcohol also increases snoring.
10. The chronic use of tobacco disturbs sleep.
11. If you find yourself waking up and looking at the clock, put the clock under the bed or cover it up. Do not look at the clock in the middle of the night.
12. An active mind at bedtime is not conducive to falling asleep. People who cannot "turn their minds off" at bedtime often benefit from the use of a "white noise" sound generator (for example, the hum of a fan, humidifier, or air ionizing unit) at bedside to "de-focus."

TOP