Tips for healthy sleep

You should wake up refreshed in the morning without the use of an alarm clock and feel energetic all day. However, there may be a time when you cannot sleep, which can make you frustrated. Tossing and turning, your mind is racing, going over everything that happened today. Night noises keep you awake. What can you do? Certainly, there are things you can do! Below are some good tips for healthy sleep that might be useful for you. These tips are taken from www.sleepnet.com.

-Sleep is as important as food and air. Quantity and quality are very important. Most people need between 7.5 to 8.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep. If you press the snooze alarm in the morning, you are not getting the sleep you need. This could be due to not enough time in bed, external disturbances or a sleep disorder. -Keep regular hours. Try to go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time every day. Getting up at the same time is most important. Getting bright light, like the sun, when you get up, will also help. -Try to go to bed only when you are sleepy. Bright light in the morning at a regular time should help you feel sleepy at the same time every night. -Stay away from stimulants like caffeine. This will help you get deep sleep, which is most refreshing. If you take any caffeine, take it in the morning. -Avoid all stimulants in the evening, including chocolate, caffeinated sodas and caffeinated teas. They will delay sleep and increase arousal during the night. -Use the bed just for sleeping. Avoid watching TV, using laptop computers, or reading in bed. Bright light from these activities and subject matter may inhibit sleep. If it helps to read before sleep make sure you use a very small-wattage bulb to read. A 15 watt bulb should be enough. -Avoid bright lights around the house before bed. Using dimmer switches in living rooms and bathrooms before bed can be helpful. (Dimmer switches can be set to maximum brightness for morning routines.) -Don't get stressed if you feel you are not getting enough sleep: It will just make matters worse. Know you will sleep eventually. -Avoid exercise near bedtime: No exercise at least 3 hours before bed. -Don't go to bed hungry. Have a light snack but avoid a heavy meal before bed. -Bedtime routines are helpful for good sleep. -Avoid looking at the clock if you wake up in the middle of the night: It can cause anxiety. -If you can't get to sleep for over 30 minutes, get out of bed and do something boring in dim light till you are sleepy. -Keep your bedroom at a comfortable temperature. -If you have problems with noise in your environment you can use a white noise generator. A fan will work. -Know that the "nightcap" has a price. Alcohol may help you to get to sleep but it will cause you to wake up throughout the night. You may not notice it. (It is worse if you have sleep apnea because the alcohol makes the apnea worse.) -Sometimes people snore only if they have had some alcohol or may snore more badly if they already snore.) -If you have a sleeping partner, ask them if they notice any snoring, leg movements and/or pauses in breathing. Take this information and try the sleep test. You may have a sleep disorder or you may just need to increase your awareness about your own sleep need. If you have any concern see your doctor.

-The Jakarta Post