Simple Changes for Better Sleep
If you’d like to drift off more easily and wake up refreshed, these suggestions can help.
Evaluate Your Environment
Make your bedroom more comfortable by keeping the room cool. Remove distractions such as bright lights, TVs and cell phones. Also, choose an alarm clock with red numbers.
Develop A Sleep Schedule
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Sleeping in on a Saturday doesn’t make up for rest lost during the week. It can also make waking up early on Monday more difficult.
Regulate Eating, Drinking and Exercising
Restrict late-night eating to light snacks, since digestion after a large meal can interrupt sleep. Avoid anything containing caffeine such as coffee, cola and chocolate. Caffeine is a stimulant and can take as long as eight hours to wear off. Exercising within three hours of bedtime can also stimulate your system and impair sleep.
Check Your Medicines
Some medications, including over-the-counter treatments for colds and allergies, can interfere with sleep patterns. Discuss any concerns with your healthcare provider. “Your doctor may also recommend a sleep study, which can detect underlying problems,” says Conn.
Put Light In Your Life
Your natural (circadian) rhythms have a lot to do with how well you sleep. Doctors recommend exposure to natural sunlight for at least 30 minutes a day. They also say that if you have trouble falling asleep, go outside for an hour of morning sunlight and dim the lights at least an hour before bedtime.
The specialists at the Sleep Lab at Texoma Medical Center can diagnose and treat sleep disorders and other conditions.