Host
Isobel Graves
Podcast Content
Whether this is the time when you are getting into bed for the first time, or you are waken in the middle of the night, it can be difficult to fall asleep. People who work nights shifts or on irregular schedules might have an additional challenge getting a good nights rest.
Try to limit differences between weeknights and weekends to no more than an hour. Go to bed at the same time every night, and wake at the same time every morning, even on weekends. If you work out at night, try to avoid working out within 2 hours of going to sleep, because the adrenaline surge of working out can disturb your sleep.
Relaxing, low-impact exercises like yoga or gentle stretching during the evening may help promote sleep. Doing quiet activities prior to going to sleep, such as taking a bath or using relaxation techniques, may help facilitate better sleep. Consider simple tips to get better sleep, from setting up a bedtime schedule to including physical activities in your routine.
By trying out these simple tips, you may be able to enjoy better nighttime sleep, boost your health, and improve the way you think and feel throughout the day. Just as the way you feel in your waking hours is often dependent on how well you are sleeping at night, the remedy to your sleeping difficulties is often found in your routine.
While you may not have control over the factors affecting your sleep, you can adopt habits that promote better sleep. Think of all of the factors that might prevent you from getting a good nights sleep: From work stresses and household duties, to unexpected challenges like illnesses.
If you are trying to optimize your health or lose weight, getting a good nights sleep is one of the most important things you can do. Healthy food and physical activity are important for good health, but many of us neglect how important sleep is. Good-quality sleep makes a huge difference in the way we feel, both mentally and physically, so getting plenty is essential.
Conversely, getting enough good sleep may help you eat less, exercise better, and stay healthier . The stimulant effects of nicotine and caffeine can wear off over hours, causing serious disruptions in quality sleep. Unfortunately, alcohol impacts your brain in ways that may decrease your quality of sleep, so for this reason, it is best to avoid drinking before going to bed.
To prevent prolonged sleep deprivation, monitor caffeine consumption and avoid it late in the day, when it may become a barrier to falling asleep. Some people are tempted to use a jolt of energy from caffeine to try and beat their daytime sleepiness, but this approach is not sustainable and may lead to a prolonged period of sleep deprivation.
How long it takes for children to fall asleep may depend on how drowsy their bodies are, as well as on their daily routines around naptime and bedtime. If your baby takes longer than 30 minutes to get to sleep, it may require more wind-down time before turning off their lights for bed. To remain asleep, children must be able to fall back to sleep on their own after these short waking episodes.
While naps are a great way to catch up on lost sleep, they can be bad for your sleep if you are having difficulty falling asleep at night or staying asleep. If you take too much of a nap, or nap too late in the day, this will disrupt your sleep rhythms and make it harder to fall asleep when you want.
While this may seem like an obvious one, it is one that is often overlooked, contributing to sleep difficulties and sleeplessness throughout the night. Some people have conditions that prevent them from getting adequate, quality sleep, no matter how hard they try.
Some studies show that people used to taking regular napping during the day have no sleep quality problems and do not disrupt their nights. People often assume sleep is simply the time off, where the exhausted brain gets rest, says Dr. Maiken Nedergaard, who studies sleep at the University of Rochester.
By not working, watching TV, or using a phone, tablet, or computer while you are lying in bed, your brain will associate your bedroom only with sleep and sex, making it easier for you to fall asleep at night. You want to have a strong mental association between your bed and sleep, so try to limit activities in bed to just sleep and sex. Changing bad bedtime habits may take time, but the effort could pay off in making you feel more relaxed and ready to sleep when it is bedtime.
In one study, taking 2 mg of melatonin before bed improved sleep quality and energy the following day, and helped people fall asleep quicker. In one study, taking a warm bath 90 minutes before bed improved sleep quality and helped people achieve deeper sleep . If you do not want to have a full bath in the evening, just bathing your feet in warm water may help relax you and enhance sleep .
Studies show that relaxing baths or showers may help to increase overall sleep quality and may help people -- particularly older adults -- fall asleep more quickly .
Stress triggers sleeplessness, so the more agonizing you are over your inability to fall asleep, the greater the chance that you are going to be lying awake staring at the ceiling. In other words, your body is fumbling around trying to sleep, and when you begin feeling anxious about going to sleep because you are afraid that you will not, you are setting yourself up for a vicious cycle that may be difficult to break. This includes exercising earlier, limiting caffeineA coffee, tea, and sodaA after lunch, avoiding foods that may upset your stomach, and maybe skipping happy hours, because drinking too late in the day may decrease sleep quality.