5 Keys to Better Sleep by Patricia Wagner

hot non-caffeinated drink can relax you.

3. Prepare your sleeping environment.

You have control over a number of factors in your sleeping

environment that will make or break a good night's sleep.

One of them is the temperature of your bedroom. Adjust the

temperature of your bedroom so it's conducive to sleeping.

It's usually best to have your room a little on the cool side,

but be sure you have enough blankets on your bed.

Another environmental issue is the darkness of our bedrooms.

Many people prefer sleeping when it's totally dark, so turn

off the lights except for night lights.

A key bedroom environment factor is your bed. Purchase the

best mattress you can afford since you'll spend a large

proportion of your life on it.

Quietness is very important to our rest. Try to keep the

noise down. If that's impossible, consider using ear plugs.

Play calming music and avoid watching television just before

bedtime. Violent scenes can lead to sleeplessness and

violent dreams!

Design your bedroom to be a peaceful sanctuary in your home.

Separate your work from the bedroom area so your body knows

the bedroom is a place to rest - not work.

4. Prepare yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually

for bedtime.

There are a number of steps you can take before going to bed

to prepare yourself physically. Slowly stretching before

hitting the sack can help you relax. Regular exercise during

the day will enhance your ability to fall asleep. Taking a

warm bath - not a shower - can be helpful too. If you are

still tense, a back massage can help you relax. Wear

comfortable nonbinding clothing.

Here's the most important thing you can do once you've hit

the sack - let go of the day's worries. Bedtime is a bad

time to dwell on problems since worry can keep you tossing

and turning for hours! I've found that reading the Bible and

praying before going to bed is a wonderful way to end the

day. Then I can truly relax and lay down my problems. My

sleep is much sweeter and so are my dreams!

5. Seek specialized help if needed.

A medical condition could be preventing you from getting

your full rest at night. See your doctor if you have

continuing difficulty with falling asleep. Usually it's not

wise to take sleeping pills since they can become addictive.

They also interfere with the body's own inner sleeping

rhythm.

Here are three organizations that offer specialized help:

National Sleep Foundation

http://www.sleepfoundation.org/about.cfm

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine

http://www.aasmnet.org/

National Center on Sleep Disorders Research

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/ncsdr/index.htm

The suggestions in this article have been listed to help you

get a better night's sleep. Now try putting them into

practice and enjoy a more rested and energetic lifestyle.

Pleasant dreams!

Copyright ©2004 by Patricia Wagner

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BIO:

Patricia Wagner offers informative tips on living a more
energetic lifestyle at http://www.a-to-z-wellness.com and
through her free "A to Z Health Tips" newsletter. Contact
Patricia at wagner.art@verizon.net

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