A Good Night's Sleep

If you answer yes to 3 of the following questions, you’re probably sleep deprived.

Are you sleep deprived?

• Do you ever get tired in the middle of the day?
• Do you ever wake up with morning back pain?
• Do you need an alarm clock to wake up?
• Do you hit the snooze button during the week?
• Do you have trouble remembering or concentrating?
• Do you get tired and stressed out at work?
• Do you need a nap to get through the day?
• Do you often fall asleep watching TV?

Here are some tips to help you get a good night’s sleep.

1	Establishing a bedtime ritual is helpful for good sleep.
2	Keep your bedroom cool and maintain a relaxing atmosphere in the bedroom.
3	Reduce caffeine intake and avoid it altogether four to six hours before bedtime.
4	Stop smoking. Reduce Nicotine intake during the four hours before bed, and don't have any at least 45 minutes before bed.
5	Reduce stress as much as possible. If you toss and turn, get up. For example, try and write down all the things that are preoccupying your mind before you go to bed. You can then put them out of your mind until the next day.
6	Take a warm bath before bed. It will relax your body, a few drops of lavender essential oil will relax your mind.
7	Avoid alcohol near bedtime, it causes you to wake up during the night.
8	A heavy meal too close to bedtime interferes with sleep.
9	Exercise relaxes muscles and aids sleep. But vigorous exercise just before bed may interfere with sleep.
10	Go to bed only when you are sleepy. Get out of bed if you can't fall asleep within 10-15 minutes and return when sleepy.
11	Establish a regular sleep schedule. It keeps your biological clock going in the right direction. Avoid napping during the day.
12	Get continuous sleep. Identify the amount of sleep you need to be fully alert all day, and try to get that amount each night. Make up for lost sleep as soon as possible.
13	A good bed and supportive pillows will do wonders for your sleep.