Getting a Better Night Sleep

If you're like me, you are not getting a good night's sleep as often as you
should. Dealing with the daily stresses in life can sometimes keep one from
sleeping. There could be a number of reasons you can't get to sleep. If a person
is having sleep problems, whether you are unable to fall asleep, or waking up
too often, or you just don't feel well rested when you wake up every morning.
There are various forms of sleep techniques that will help. One of my favorites
is listening to nature sounds just before bedtime. It could be the sound of a
forest, or sounds of the ocean. It shouldn't take long for you to fall asleep.
These are relaxing sounds that should put you right into dreamland.

Another technique that could help is to have a completely dark room. If you have
to get up to go to the bathroom during the night, you can keep the bathroom
light on and adjust the door where there is little light coming from it. Never
turn your bedroom light on during the night. The light from your room stops the
production of melatonin, which is a sleep aid that our body produces. So please
keep a completely dark room. Don't drink any liquids within two hours before
bedtime, which will reduce the likelihood of having to go to the bathroom during
the night. Go to the bathroom right before bed. Try to get to bed as early as
possible. I can remember my mother telling me that people in the old days would
go to bed at sundown, as most animals do. It was nature's way of making sure
that we got our rest. I suspect that most people went to bed early before
electricity came along.

Avoiding caffeine is a key player in keeping a person from falling asleep. A
person can feel the effects of caffeine long after it is consumed. We also have
to be aware that diet pills are full of caffeine. Even an afternoon cup of
coffee or tea can keep some people from falling asleep. I've had problems with
drinking only one cup of coffee that will keep me awake all night. The body does
most of it's healing in the deeper stages of sleep. We should make sure we are
getting to that deeper sleep stage on every night of the week. Also, avoiding
the use of alcohol can be helpful. Drinking alcohol tends to make people drowsy,
but some people will wake up several hours later, and are unable to fall back
asleep.

Taking a hot shower or bath before bedtime can be beneficial in getting to
sleep. Never exercise too close to bedtime. Always keep bedtime at a set time,
and never changing your bedtime schedule. It will help you get into a sleep
rhythm, making it easier for you to fall asleep. If a person is overweight it
could lead to sleep apnea, which prevents a restful nights sleep. I'm sure there
are so many other methods that can assist us in getting a better night of rest.
Let us all get a good nights sleep. It will make for a better life.