Twelve Simple Tips to Improve Your Sleep

Falling asleep may seem like an impossible dream when youre awake at 3 a.m., but good
sleep is more under your control than you might think. Following healthy sleep habits can
make the difference between restlessness and restful slumber. Researchers have identified a
variety of practices and habitsknown as sleep hygiene"that can help anyone maximize
the hours they spend sleeping, even those whose sleep is affected by insomnia, jet lag, or
shift work.
Sleep hygiene may sound unimaginative, but it just may be the best way to get the sleep you
need in this 24/7 age. Here are some simple tips for making the sleep of your dreams a
nightly reality:
#1 Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol, Nicotine, and Other Chemicals that Interfere with Sleep

Caffeinated products decrease a persons quality of sleep.

As any coffee lover knows, caffeine is a stimulant that can keep you awake. So avoid caffeine
(found in coffee, tea, chocolate, cola, and some pain relievers) for four to six hours before
bedtime. Similarly, smokers should refrain from using tobacco products too close to bedtime.

Caffeine and Sleep (0:43)

Dr. Lawrence Epstein describes how caffeine works to promote alertness, but can also inhibit restful
sleep.
watch video

Although alcohol may help bring on sleep, after a few hours it acts as a stimulant, increasing
the number of awakenings and generally decreasing the quality of sleep later in the night. It
is therefore best to limit alcohol consumption to one to two drinks per day, or less, and to
avoid drinking within three hours of bedtime.
#2 Turn Your Bedroom into a Sleep-Inducing Environment
A quiet, dark, and cool environment can help promote sound slumber. Why do you think bats
congregate in caves for their daytime sleep? To achieve such an environment, lower the
volume of outside noise with earplugs or a "white noise" appliance. Use heavy curtains,
blackout shades, or an eye mask to block light, a powerful cue that tells the brain that it's
time to wake up. Keep the temperature comfortably coolbetween 60 and 75Fand the
room well ventilated. And make sure your bedroom is equipped with a comfortable mattress
and pillows. (Remember that most mattresses wear out after ten years.)
Also, if a pet regularly wakes you during the night, you may want to consider keeping it out
of your bedroom.

It may help to limit your bedroom activities to sleep and sex only. Keeping computers, TVs,
and work materials out of the room will strengthen the mental association between your
bedroom and sleep.
#3 Establish a Soothing Pre-Sleep Routine

Light reading before bed is a good way to prepare yourself for sleep.

Ease the transition from wake time to sleep time with a period of relaxing activities an hour
or so before bed. Take a bath (the rise, then fall in body temperature promotes drowsiness),
read a book, watch television, or practice relaxation exercises. Avoid stressful, stimulating
activitiesdoing work, discussing emotional issues. Physically and psychologically stressful
activities can cause the body to secrete the stress hormone cortisol, which is associated with
increasing alertness. If you tend to take your problems to bed, try writing them downand
then putting them aside.
#4 Go to Sleep When Youre Truly Tired
Struggling to fall sleep just leads to frustration. If youre not asleep after 20 minutes, get out
of bed, go to another room, and do something relaxing, like reading or listening to music until
you are tired enough to sleep.
#5 Dont Be a Nighttime Clock-Watcher
Staring at a clock in your bedroom, either when you are trying to fall asleep or when you
wake in the middle of the night, can actually increase stress, making it harder to fall asleep.
Turn your clocks face away from you.
And if you wake up in the middle of the night and cant get back to sleep in about 20
minutes, get up and engage in a quiet, restful activity such as reading or listening to music.
And keep the lights dim; bright light can stimulate your internal clock. When your eyelids are
drooping and you are ready to sleep, return to bed.
#6 Use Light to Your Advantage
Natural light keeps your internal clock on a healthy sleep-wake cycle. So let in the light first
thing in the morning and get out of the office for a sun break during the day.
#7 Keep Your Internal Clock Set with a Consistent Sleep Schedule

Having a regular sleep schedule helps to ensure better quality and consistent sleep.

Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day sets the bodys "internal clock" to
expect sleep at a certain time night after night. Try to stick as closely as possible to your
routine on weekends to avoid a Monday morning sleep hangover. Waking up at the same time

each day is the very best way to set your clock, and even if you did not sleep well the night
before, the extra sleep drive will help you consolidate sleep the following night. Learn more
about the importance of synchronizing the clock in The Drive to Sleep and Our Internal Clock.

Maintaining a Consistent Wake Time (1:13)

Dr. Stephen Amira describes the importance of waking up at the same time each day.
watch video

#8 Nap EarlyOr Not at All

Many people make naps a regular part of their day. However, for those who find falling asleep
or staying asleep through the night problematic, afternoon napping may be one of the
culprits. This is because late-day naps decrease sleep drive. If you must nap, its better to
keep it short and before 5 p.m.

To Nap or Not? (0:35)

Dr. Stephen Amira discusses the benefits of short naps.
watch video

#9 Lighten Up on Evening Meals

Eating a pepperoni pizza at 10 p.m. may be a recipe for insomnia. Finish dinner several hours
before bedtime and avoid foods that cause indigestion. If you get hungry at night, snack on
foods that (in your experience) won't disturb your sleep, perhaps dairy foods and
carbohydrates.
#10 Balance Fluid Intake
Drink enough fluid at night to keep from waking up thirstybut not so much and so close to
bedtime that you will be awakened by the need for a trip to the bathroom.
#11 Exercise Early

Exercise helps promote restful sleep if it is done several hours before you go to bed.

Exercise can help you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundlyas long as it's done at the
right time. Exercise stimulates the body to secrete the stress hormone cortisol, which helps
activate the alerting mechanism in the brain. This is fine, unless you're trying to fall asleep.
Try to finish exercising at least three hours before bed or work out earlier in the day.
#12 Follow Through

Some of these tips will be easier to include in your daily and nightly routine than others.
However, if you stick with them, your chances of achieving restful sleep will improve. That
said, not all sleep problems are so easily treated and could signify the presence of a sleep
disorder such as apnea, restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy, or another clinical sleep
problem. If your sleep difficulties dont improve through good sleep hygiene, you may want to
consult your physician or a sleep specialist. Learn more at When to Seek Treatment.

Sleep is one of the great mysteries of life. Like gravity or the quantum field, we
still dont understand exactly why we sleepalthough we are learning more
about it every day.
We do know, however, that good sleep is one of the cornerstones of health.
Six to eight hours per night seems to be the optimal amount of sleep for most
adults, and too much or too little can have adverse effects on your health.
Sleep deprivation is such a chronic condition these days that you might not even
realize you suffer from it. Science has now established that a sleep deficit can
have serious, far reaching effects on your health.
For example, interrupted or impaired sleep can:

Dramatically weaken your immune system

Accelerate tumor growthtumors grow two to three times faster in

laboratory animals with severe sleep dysfunctions

Cause a pre-diabetic state, making you feel hungry even if youve already
eaten, which can wreak havoc on your weight

Seriously impair your memory; even a single night of poor sleepmeaning

sleeping only 4 to 6 hourscan impact your ability to think clearly the next
day

Impair your performance on physical or mental tasks, and decrease your

problem solving ability

When your circadian rhythms are disrupted, your body produces less melatonin
(a hormone AND an antioxidant) and has less ability to fight cancer, since
melatonin helps suppress free radicals that can lead to cancer. This is why
tumors grow faster when you sleep poorly.
Impaired sleep can also increase stress-related disorders, including:

Heart disease

Stomach ulcers

Constipation

Mood disorders like depression

Sleep deprivation prematurely ages you by interfering with your growth

hormone production, normally released by your pituitary gland during deep sleep
(and during certain types of exercise, such as Peak Fitness Technique). Growth
hormone helps you look and feel younger.
One study has even shown that people with chronic insomnia have a three times
greater risk of dying from any cause.
Lost sleep is lost forever, and persistent lack of sleep has a cumulative
effect when it comes to disrupting your health. Poor sleep can make your life
miserable, as most of you probably know.
The good news is, there are many natural techniques you can learn to restore
your sleep health.
Whether you have difficulty falling asleep, waking up too often, or feeling
inadequately rested when you wake up in the morningor maybe you simply
want to improve the quality of your sleepyou are bound to find some relief from
my tips and tricks below.
**If you are interested in more information about sleep or any of the 33
items listed, I invite you to delve into the links that follow, which are
grouped by subject.

Optimizing Your Sleep Sanctuary

1.

Sleep in complete darkness, or as close to it as possible. Even the

tiniest bit of light in the room can disrupt your internal clock and your pineal
gland's production of melatonin and serotonin. Even the tiniest glow from
your clock radio could be interfering with your sleep. This will help decrease
your risk of cancer. Close your bedroom door, and get rid of night-lights.
Refrain from turning on any light at all during the night, even when getting
up to go to the bathroom. Cover up your clock radio. Cover your windowsI
recommend using blackout shades or drapes.
All life evolved in response to predictable patterns of light and darkness,
called circadian rhythms. Modern day electrical lighting has significantly
betrayed your inner clock by disrupting your natural rhythms. Little bits of
light pass directly through your optic nerve to your hypothalamus, which
controls your biological clock. Light signals your brain that its time to wake
up and starts preparing your body for ACTION.

2.

Keep the temperature in your bedroom no higher than 70 degrees F.

Many people keep their homes and particularly their upstairs bedrooms too
warm. Studies show that the optimal room temperature for sleep is quite
cool, between 60 to 68 degrees. Keeping your room cooler or hotter can
lead to restless sleep. When you sleep, your bodys internal temperature
drops to its lowest level, generally about four hours after you fall asleep.
Scientists believe a cooler bedroom may therefore be most conducive to
sleep, since it mimics your bodys natural temperature drop.

3.

Check your bedroom for electro-magnetic fields (EMFs). These can

disrupt the pineal gland and the production of melatonin and serotonin, and
may have other negative effects as well. To do this, you need a gauss
meter. You can find various models online, starting around $50 to $200.
Some experts even recommend pulling your circuit breaker before bed to
kill all power in your house.

4.

Move alarm clocks and other electrical devices away from your bed. If
these devices must be used, keep them as far away from your bed as
possible, preferably at least 3 feet. Remove the clock from view. It will only
add to your worry when you stare at it all night... 2 a.m. ...3 a.m. ... 4:30
a.m.

5.

Avoid using loud alarm clocks. It is very stressful on your body to be

suddenly jolted awake. If you are regularly getting enough sleep, an alarm
may even be unnecessary. I gave up my alarm clock years ago and now
use a sun alarm clock, an alarm that combines the features of a traditional
alarm clock (digital display, AM/FM radio, beeper, snooze button, etc.) with a
special built-in light that gradually increases in intensity, simulating sunrise.

6.

Reserve your bed for sleeping. If you are used to watching TV or doing
work in bed, you may find it harder to relax and drift off to sleep, so avoid
doing these activities in bed.

7.

Consider separate bedrooms. Recent studies suggest, for many people,

sharing a bed with a partner (or pets) can significantly impair sleep,
especially if the partner is a restless sleeper or snores. If bedfellows are
consistently interfering with your sleep, you may want to consider
a separate bedroom.

Preparing for Bed

7.

Get to bed as early as possible. Your body (particularly your adrenal

system) does a majority of its recharging between the hours of 11 p.m. and
1 a.m. In addition, your gallbladder dumps toxins during this same period. If
you are awake, the toxins back up into your liver, which can further disrupt
your health. Prior to the widespread use of electricity, people would go to
bed shortly after sundown, as most animals do, and which nature intended
for humans as well.

8.

Don't change your bedtime. You should go to bed and wake up at the
same times each day, even on the weekends. This will help your body to get
into a sleep rhythm and make it easier to fall asleep and get up in the
morning.

9.

Establish a bedtime routine. This could include meditation, deep

breathing, using aromatherapy or essential oils or indulging in a massage
from your partner. The key is to find something that makes you feel relaxed,
then repeat it each night to help you release the tensions of the day.

10. Don't drink any fluids within 2 hours of going to bed. This will reduce
the likelihood of needing to get up and go to the bathroom, or at least
minimize the frequency.
11. Go to the bathroom right before bed. This will reduce the chances that
you'll wake up to go in the middle of the night.
12. Eat a high-protein snack several hours before bed. This can provide
the L-tryptophan needed for your melatonin and serotonin production.
13. Also eat a small piece of fruit. This can help the tryptophan cross your
blood-brain barrier.
14. Avoid before-bed snacks, particularly grains and sugars. These will
raise your blood sugar and delay sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops too
low (hypoglycemia), you may wake up and be unable to fall back asleep.
15. Take a hot bath, shower or sauna before bed. When your body
temperature is raised in the late evening, it will fall at bedtime, facilitating
slumber. The temperature drop from getting out of the bath signals your
body its time for bed.
16. Wear socks to bed. Feet often feel cold before the rest of the body
because they have the poorest circulation. A study has shown that wearing
socks to bed reduces night waking. As an alternative, you could place a hot
water bottle near your feet at night.
17. Wear an eye mask to block out light. As discussed earlier, it is very
important to sleep in as close to complete darkness as possible. That said,
it's not always easy to block out every stream of light using curtains, blinds
or drapes, particularly if you live in an urban area (or if your spouse has a
different schedule than you do). In these cases, an eye mask can be
helpful.
18. Put your work away at least one hour before bed (preferably two
hours or more). This will give your mind a chance to unwind so you can go
to sleep feeling calm, not hyped up or anxious about tomorrow's deadlines.

19. No TV right before bed. Even better, get the TV out of the bedroom or
even completely out of the house. Its too stimulating to the brain,
preventing you from falling asleep quickly. TV disrupts your pineal gland
function.
20. Listen to relaxation CDs. Some people find the sound of white noise or
nature sounds, such as the ocean or forest, to be soothing for sleep. An
excellent relaxation/meditation option to listen to before bed is the Insight
audio CD. Another favorite is the Sleep Harmony CD, which uses a
combination of advanced vibrational technology and guided meditation to
help you effortlessly fall into deep delta sleep within minutes. The CD works
on the principle of sleep wave entrainment to assist your brain in gearing
down for sleep.
21. Read something spiritual or uplifting. This may help you relax. Don't
read anything stimulating, such as a mystery or suspense novel, which has
the opposite effect. In addition, if you are really enjoying a suspenseful
book, you might be tempted to go on reading for hours, instead of going to
sleep!
22. Journaling. If you often lay in bed with your mind racing, it might be
helpful to keep a journal and write down your thoughts before bed.
Personally, I have been doing this for 15 years, but prefer to do it in the
morning when my brain is functioning at its peak and my cortisol levels are
high.

Lifestyle Suggestions That Enhance Sleep

23. Reduce or avoid as many drugs as possible. Many drugs, both
prescription and over-the-counter, may adversely affect sleep. In most
cases, the condition causing the drugs to be taken in the first place can be
addressed by following guidelines elsewhere on my web site.
24. Avoid caffeine. At least one study has shown that, in some people,
caffeine is not metabolized efficiently, leaving you feeling its effects long
after consumption. So, an afternoon cup of coffee or tea will keep some
people from falling asleep at night. Be aware that some medications contain
caffeine (for example, diet pills).
25. Avoid alcohol. Although alcohol will make you drowsy, the effect is short
lived and you will often wake up several hours later, unable to fall back
asleep. Alcohol will also keep you from entering the deeper stages of sleep,
where your body does most of its healing.
26. Make certain you are exercising regularly. Exercising for at least 30
minutes per day can improve your sleep. However, don't exercise too close
to bedtime or it may keep you awake. Studies show exercising in the
morning is the best if you can manage it.

27. Lose excess weight. Being overweight can increase your risk of sleep
apnea, which can seriously impair your sleep. Please refer to mynutrition
plan forrecommendations.
28. Avoid foods you may be sensitive to. This is particularly true for sugar,
grains, and pasteurized dairy. Sensitivity reactions can cause excess
congestion, gastrointestinal upset, bloating and gas, and other problems.
29. Have your adrenals checked by a good natural medicine clinician.
Scientists have found that insomnia may be caused byadrenal stress.
30. If you are menopausal or perimenopausal, get checked out by a good
natural medicine physician. The hormonal changes at this time may
cause sleep problems if not properly addressed.

If All Else Fails

31. My current favorite fix for insomnia is Emotional Freedom Technique
(EFT). Most people can learn the basics of this gentle tapping technique in
a few minutes. EFT can help balance your body's bioenergy system and
resolve some of the emotional stresses that are contributing to your
insomnia at a very deep level. The results are typically long lasting and
improvement is remarkably rapid.
32. Increase your melatonin. Ideally it is best to increase levels naturally with
exposure to bright sunlight in the daytime (along with full spectrum
fluorescent bulbs in the winter) and absolute complete darkness at night. If
that isnt possible, you may want to consider a melatonin supplement. In
scientific studies, melatonin has been shown to increase sleepiness, help
you fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep, decrease restlessness, and
reverse daytime fatigue. Melatonin is a completely natural substance, made
by your body, and has many health benefits in addition to sleep.