Principles of Better Sleep

If you have trouble sleeping, there are safe, effective treatments for you.  And you may not even need a drug.  I will introduce you to three basic principles of better sleep.

Principle 1 – Any time you spend in bed awake trains your body to stay awake in bed.

Use the bed for only sleep, sex, and relaxing television.  Do not work on your laptop, surf the web, or pay bills in bed.  Never get into bed before you are really sleepy.  If you wake up during the night and don’t feel sleepy, get out of bed and do something relaxing elsewhere- read, watch TV, knit, etc.

Principle 2 – Keep a regular wake up time.

The time you wake up each day tells your body when to feel sleepy at night.  Even if you’ve had a rough night, get out of bed at your planned time- you’ll be sleepy by the next night.  Set an alarm, and don’t check the clock during the night.  People who have trouble sleeping should not give themselves more than an 8 hour sleep opportunity.  So, choose a wake time, and get in to bed no sooner than 8 hours earlier.  If you do not feel sleepy, you may wait as long as you need to get into bed, but awaken no later.

Principle 3 – Don’t let your daytime habits sabotage your sleep.

Try not to nap, but keep naps brief and early if you must.  So, don’t have more than 1 or 2 drinks with or after dinner.  Don’t gorge on food before bed.   The less you smoke in the evening, the better.  Exercise in the morning if you can.