Tips for Getting a Good Night's Sleep

Like a proper diet, sleep is essential to good health. However, most Americans do not get the amount of sleep that they need. Denying your body the proper amount of sleep can have both short and long term effects ranging anywhere from crankiness to depression.

The amount of sleep needed by the average adult is in the range of 7 to 9 hours. Younger people need more sleep to facilitate the rapid changes that are occurring in their bodies. Teenagers are best off getting a minimum of 8.5 hours of sleep every night, more if they are highly active.

How you sleep is just as important as how long you sleep. You should do all that you can to make sure that your sleep environment is comfortable to you. Avoid having light in your bedroom as much as possible, and of course eliminate any possible sources of noise. The ultimate goal is to make sure that your sleep is uninterrupted so your body can go through the many different stages of sleep through the night. Even if you are in bed for 8 hours, if those 8 hours are punctuated by several periods of wakefulness, even if it's just a brief run to the bathroom, then your sleep cycles will be disrupted and you will not receive the full benefits of a good nights rest.

Use these tips to make sure you get a good night's sleep:

1. Avoid stimulants prior to bedtime. This includes caffeine, nicotine, and sugar. Even if you still manage to fall asleep, these stimulants may disrupt your sleep cycle.

2. Leave a 3 hour buffer between your exercise time and your bed time. After exercising your body will still be in active mode, and this can make it difficult to fall asleep.

3. Avoid alcohol prior to bedtime, as it can cause restless sleep.

4. Try to create a regular bedtime routine. Eventually your body will learn this routine and take it as a cue that it's time to start winding down into sleep mode.

5. Make sure your bed and bedroom are comfortable and quiet. Turn off all the lights and make sure that there is no noise that can distract you (such as a loud TV or radio in the next room).

6. If you find yourself having trouble falling asleep, get up and do something relaxing. Often people will start worrying that they will not be able to fall asleep in time to be ready for tomorrow, and their worrying causes them to stay awake even longer!

One last trick that you can keep in mind is using a white noise generator. A small room fan is excellent for this job and help keeps your room comfortably cool. The steady hum will drown out a lot of stressful noises, such as a neighbor's radio or a barking dog. Since the noise is constant and soft, your brain almost immediately learns to completely ignore it.

If you are experiencing recurring problems with falling asleep, or you s are fatigued the next day despite getting plenty of sleep the night before, then a visit to your doctor may be in order. There are several kinds of sleep disorders that are easily treatable. Avoid getting into the habit of using sleep aids (unless prescribed by your doctor), as your body can grow dependant on them.

Find more information on the web at:
www.sleepfoundation.org
www.sleepnet.com