How To Have A Sound Sleep

Sleep Like a Baby

A restful night’s sleep is imperative for a productive day ahead. Find out how to set your sleep schedule right and follow these expert tips that will help you sleep better.

“O sleep, O gentle sleep, nature's soft nurse, how have I frightened thee, that thou no more will weigh my eye-lids down and steep my senses in forgetfulness?” wrote William Shakespeare, a long time ago. Do you ask yourself the same question every night? Tossing and turning, arranging and re-arranging the bedspread and blanket, counting sheep until you can count no more - welcome to the world of people who can’t seem to nod off at night.

Most of us take sleep rather lightly, without realizing the importance of a good restful night. For a healthy body and mind, quality sleep is very important. The amount of sleep required for a fresh start to the day varies among individuals, but on an average most of us need 6-8 hours of sleep.

It isn’t enough to get into bed at night and get out 8 hours later, claiming to have slept well. If you wake up too early in the morning, wake up several times in the night, or wake up tired and cranky, you are not sleeping right. Almost everyone suffers insomnia sometime in their life, but if you spend night after sleepless night, for any length of time, you need to be concerned. Sleeplessness can make you cranky and irritable and have a negative impact on your concentration. Your work performance can suffer as you carry overnight fatigue into work. Your immune system can get affected, making you prone to illnesses. Exhaustion resulting from sleep deprivation can lead to a nervous breakdown. So, if you are one of the millions of people who suffer from sleeplessness, you need to take time off for introspection.

Your sleeplessness could be a result of several factors.

· Physical Problems: Heart ailments, medication, painful joints, heartburn and a host of other physical conditions can result in difficulty sleeping and staying asleep. Consult a medical professional to get a diagnosis and treatment.

· Psychological Problems: Several psychological ailments are characterized by sleep related issues as a symptom - depression, anxiety, stress and nervousness. Stress arising from work, financial problems, bereavement can all contribute to sleeplessness.

· Food: What you eat before going to bed has a bearing on your sleep. Caffeine is a stimulant and if you habitually drink a cup of coffee at bedtime, it might alter your sleep pattern. Coffee, chocolate, alcohol, tea and nicotine are all stimulants.

Myth: Alcohol helps people sleep well.

Myth buster: Alcohol only induces sleep; it does not give you a restful sleep. Alcohol contains elements which keep certain organ systems in your body awake long after you have gone to sleep, like the stomach.

· Exercise: Indulging in exercise close to bedtime will most certainly keep you awake. Exercise causes the release of adrenaline which is a stimulant and increases the heart rate.

· Ambient factors: Several other factors may prevent you from falling asleep, or may awaken you time and again - the temperature in the room, a repetitive noise which disturbs you, too many naps in the day, too bright or too dim a bedroom are just some. You need to scrutinize your environment and make it conducive to sleeping.

Nothing affects your productivity more than a bad night’s sleep. You are the best judge of what relaxes your body. You need to take pro-active measures to identify the problem and do whatever it takes to get a good night’s rest.

Tips to Help You Sleep Better

· Regular routine
Maintain a regular bedtime routine. Pick a time to go to sleep every night and stick with it. It may not difficult at times, but your body and mind will thank you for it. Whether you are tired at the appointed time or not, go to bed. Soon, your body will get used to the routine and will have little difficulty shutting off. Also, wake up at or around the same time every morning.

· No TV, No Computer
Stop checking your email on the computer or the latest score on the telly at bedtime. The TV/computer screen stimulates the brain and keeps it active long after your body has given you signals to shut down. After catching a late night episode of your favourite soap, you may think you can still get to sleep for 8 hours. But this sleep is low quality.

· A bed is to sleep in
Train your mind to associate the bed with sleep. No lounging on the bed watching TV in the day or solving crossword puzzles by the evening. Don’t carry your laptop on to the bed to get some last minute work done. After you turn in for the night, if you can’t sleep for more than half an hour, get out of bed. Do something relaxing and get back into bed.

· Make your bedroom conducive to sleep
Determine what temperature makes you comfortable. Choose mattresses and pillows which give good support to your body. Your bedroom should be well-ventilated. Move the TV out of your bedroom.

· Avoid stimulants
Skip the cup of coffee, tea or alcohol that you are used taking at bedtime. The caffeine in these beverages will stimulate your body and prevent you from falling asleep. Try not to drink or smoke at least 3-4 hours before bedtime.

· Avoid heartburn
Try to eat your dinner at least 4 hours prior to bedtime. If you sleep right after dinner, the acid which is still digesting your food may regurgitate into your esophagus. The resulting heartburn can be painful and will keep you awake.

· Stay active during the day
Everyone understands the benefits of exercise. But few realize the impact of exercise on sleep. It is widely accepted that people who work at a desk have more difficulty sleeping than those who have a job which involves physical labor. Engage in exercise, preferably early in the morning and definitely 6 hours before bedtime. Exercising nearer to the bedtime can be counterproductive.

· No Catnaps
One of the surefire ways to kill a good night’s sleep is by napping in the afternoon. And if the nap is long enough you can say good bye to your night time sleep. Young active men do not need naps to be productive.

· Relaxation techniques
Experiment and determine what relaxes your body and mind. Some of the common relaxation aids are warm baths, a glass of warm milk at bedtime, meditation, massage, listening to music.

· Medication
If changes in your routine and behavioral modifications don’t seem to help you, consult your doctor who will prescribe medication such as benzodiazepines, anti depressants, antihistamines and the like for a short duration.

Try some of these tips to improve your sleep situation. If however, things don’t improve and you are still unable to get a good night’s rest, consult a medical professional. There could be other more serious factors at work.

It was perhaps a sleep deprived soul who said, “Insomnia is not being asleep when you are sleeping and not being awake when you are awake.” Don’t let sleeplessness take its toll. Act now, find a way to drift into dreamland the minute you hit the bed. Happy sleeping!