Don’t Sleep on the Value of Rest

Posted by admin on September 10th, 2010 filed in Sleep Deprivation

For many Americans, waking up at a reasonable time in the morning is the primary concern regarding sleep. However, a percentage of the population also struggles with the inability to fall asleep at night. Sure, most people suffer though a sleepless night or two, but a pattern of sleep deprivation can have major repercussions in terms of long term health, putting already tired people at higher risk for weight gain, hypertension and type 2 diabetes. In order to fall asleep faster, sleep longer and wake up more rested, follow these simple tips.

  1. Establish a healthy sleep cycle Try to stay relatively consistent in your bedtime and wake up schedule from day to day. Getting into the habit of falling asleep at a certain time will ultimately help you to fall asleep with less difficulty. Also, this will insure that you have allotted an ample amount of sleep to fully function during the day. Many experts recommend 7 to 8 hours.
  2. Don’t take naps Yes, taking an afternoon nap is theoretically a means to get more sleep, but taking a nap can now could have a negative impact on total sleep later. It would be wise to hold out until you can get a full amount of sleep come nightfall as opposed to sacrificing your overnight rejuvenation for immediate rest. If you nap in the afternoon, you may have too much energy to fall asleep until well past midnight, and your alarm will still go off at the same time in the morning , with you having already expended your energy killing time while still awake.
  3. Watch what you eat and drink Both what you eat and when you eat can cause sleeping problems. Stay away from anything containing caffeine, sugar or tobacco, all of which will just increase the urge to stay awake. Eat meals and snacks in the afternoon or evening, and if you like a glass of something to go to bed with make sure its water, or better yet milk.
  4. Exercise earlier Late night exercise may tire your body out, but it will pump your brain up. Avoid all forms of heavily involved activity within an hour or two of calling it a night.

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