How to Sleep BetterTop 10 Tips to Have a Better Night's RestHome » Tips » Sleep Better
By Nate Fovaw Having bad sleep at night can really affect your work productivity. Were there nights when you just tossed and turned – and just couldn’t fall asleep? I had the same problem, and it was really frustrating! I needed a solution to my problem. So I searched for answers and found some simple solutions to have better sleep. I used some of the tips below given by the experts and here is what solved my sleeping problems, and I hope it works for you too. 1. Avoid Alcohol, Nicotine and CaffeineSome people actually consume alcohol thinking that it will help them fall asleep more effectively. It does cause you to feel sleepy but it will affect your sleep during the night, causing you to wake up and experience difficulty falling asleep again. So avoid using alcohol before bedtime!Caffeine and nicotine also disturbs your sleep in the middle of the night. Avoid intake of caffeine or smoking 3-4 hours before you sleep. 2. Avoid TV and Computers before BedtimeWatching TV or staring at a computer screen before bedtime will affect your sleep. Oh yes… I know some of you really need this advice. Put your TV and laptop far away from your bed!I used to have a habit of using the computer every night before I sleep. After replacing this with a habit of reading, I felt a sense of calmness before I slept. I know some of you may be thinking “but I need to use the computer (or watch TV)!” Yes, I know some of you need to use it. But try your best not to use it right before bedtime! Schedule proper times to watch TV or work-related activities which involve your computer. Don’t watch TV or get sucked into work in the wee hours of the morning. Learn how to prioritize work and get important activities done earlier in the day. Read how you can develop prioritizing skills– it’s a really important time management technique you should learn. 3. Exercise- in the morning or evening, but not too late at nightWe’ve all heard this before- “Exercise keeps your mind and body alert”. But exercise also helps you sleep better at night!Light exercises are sufficient to help you sleep better at night. After a tiring day at work, you don’t need to force yourself to go to the gym. A 30 minute brisk walk is enough. A vigorous exercise after a tiring day after work may discourage you from starting exercise. Just take it easy at the start, use this to practice your self-discipline to start exercising. Read the keys to getting the motivation to exercise 4. Engage in relaxing activities before sleepingEngaging in difficult work just before you sleep may cause you to be in deep-thinking mode. Put difficult work which requires high concentration levels at least an hour before bedtime. Give yourself time to relax and unwind just before sleep.Simply reading a book or listening to relaxing music can help sooth your mind and soul and help you sleep better. Determine what the best activity is which helps you sleep better. 5. Deal with Sleeping ProblemsFirst, try to establish good sleeping habits and follow the tips above.Also, try to relax and meditate before sleeping. Sometimes stress keeps most people awake, if you’re one of them, listen to relaxation CDs or do some yoga before sleeping. If your problem for sleeping is affecting you too seriously, you can take the quiz to understand whether you are making mistakes which are affecting your sleep. 6. Don’t Pig Out Before BedtimeIt’s suggested that you should eat at least 2-3 hours before bedtime. If you are going to have supper, make sure your meal is not too heavy.Establish healthy eating habits. Fix schedules for proper meals. 7. Rise and Shine at the SAME Time EVERY day!I have found that doing this has been one of the most effective methods for getting better sleep. If you wake up at 8am today, ensure you get up at 8am every day. Your body will get used to it and you will automatically awaken at this time.When I practiced this habit of waking and sleeping at the same time everyday, my body just got so used to waking up at 8am every single morning. I didn’t even need an alarm clock! The first few days was a torture (I used to get up at 10am or 11am). I just forced myself to get up at 8am every morning, and eventually my body got used to it. I was surprised at how effective this works. Try it for just one month and see what a big difference it will make. 8. Don’t take long napsTake short naps. I find that short naps help boost my work productivity. But experts say you should nap for a maximum of 25 minutes a day. So don’t go beyond that.9. Foods that help you get better sleepA warm glass of milk has been found to help people sleep better. Foods high in Amino Tryptophan (click on this link for examples of foods that contain amino tryptophan) also help you sleep better.10. Don’t drink water right before bedtimeAvoid drinking a lot of water before bedtime as this can cause you to wake up for a visit to the bathroom several times at night.As you can see the tips above require only small changes in your habit to get a better night’s rest. Getting good sleep is essential to your productivity and helps you use your time more efficiently. You can’t get good at time management if you suffer from sleep deprivation or bad sleeping habits. Don’t let a bad night’s rest affect your day. « Return to Time Management Tips Related ResourcesIf you are interested to find out more about better sleeping habits, here are some good tips and research done on good sleeping habitsSleep Hygiene: Helpful Hints to Help You Sleep How Much Sleep Do We Really Need? Sleeping in and sleeping better Are you suffering from insomnia? Take the quiz
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