How To Get A Good Night's Sleep

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How To Get A Good Night's Sleep

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=49470

Short on sleep? According to sleep experts, people are sleeping less

than they used to and the " sleep debt " can take a toll on your

health, relationships and work performance.

Despite the popular notion that you need less sleep as you get older,

sleep needs generally remain constant throughout adulthood. And sleep

loss can take a real toll on your health. Lack of sleep is implicated

in a host of conditions and diseases from the common cold and memory

impairment to high blood pressure. Lack of sleep has also been linked

to increased risk of some cardiovascular diseases and some types of

cancer. And, of course, if you're short on sleep, chances are good

that you'll be irritable and have low energy.

The August issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter offers suggestions to

improve your sleep:

Make sleep a priority. Set aside adequate time for sleep and only do

what tasks you can get done with the time remaining, instead of

taking the reverse approach.

Go to bed and get up at about the same time every day, even on the

weekends. Sticking to a schedule helps reinforce your body's sleep-

wake cycle and can help you sleep better at night.

Avoid nicotine, caffeine and alcohol. Nicotine and caffeine are

stimulants that can keep you awake. Although alcohol is a depressant

and may help you doze off, it can cause restless sleep.

Exercise regularly. Regular exercise, especially aerobic exercise,

can help you fall asleep faster and make your sleep more restful.

Keep active. But being too busy can keep you from getting adequate

sleep. Not being busy enough can cause boredom and an inability to

sleep.

Develop a relaxing bedtime routine. Do the same things each night to

tell your body it's time to wind down. Avoid doing work activities in

bed, such as balancing a checkbook or using a laptop computer.

Make your bedroom cool, dark, quiet and comfortable. Adjust light,

temperature, humidity and noise levels to your preferences. Pets

often disrupt sleep, even if you are not aware of it. You may need to

set limits on pets sharing your bedroom.

Go to bed when you are sleepy. If you don't fall asleep within 30

minutes, get up and do something else. Go back to bed when you are

tired.

Don't put up with pain. If pain is keeping you from sleeping, talk to

your doctor about drugs or therapies to reduce pain.

Use sleeping pills only as a last resort. Check with your doctor to

make sure the pills won't interact with other medications you are

taking. If you take a sleep medication, reduce the dosage gradually

when you want to quit. Never mix alcohol and sleeping pills.

The bottom line is the better you sleep, the better you feel.

Mayo Clinic

http://www.mayo.edu/news