By Rick Lauber
When Counting Sheep Doesn’t Work How to Fall Asleep and Stay Asleep
While sleep does a body and mind good, getting a proper night’s rest cannot always be guaranteed. Our physical and mental health, lifestyle, and environmental issues along with what we eat and drink can all greatly factor in how well we can doze off and sleep overnight. Losing sleep can have disastrous results. Insomnia can be unhealthy (if you are too tired to fight off an infection), frustrating to both you and your partner (who may be kept awake by your tossing and turning), and risky (if you are unable to drive safely).
7 Sleep Management Techniques to Promote Sleep Health Sleep loss can be helped through what doctors and sleep specialists refer to as “proper sleep hygiene.” These are best practices which have been shown to help people get sufficient sleep. I’ve introduced a number of these habits in my own life and found them quite helpful. Tips for proper sleep hygiene include:
1. Exercise regularity. The human body loves routine so going to bed (and getting up in the morning) around the same time can be beneficial. 2. Wind down in the evening. Choose calming activities. A quiet movie is more conducive to relaxation than a violent war movie or distressing newscast. 3. Soak your feet. While you may find a full bath or shower relaxing, soaking your feet in warm water can be a less extensive task and can have similar results. 4. Try a medical supplement. Melatonin
any irregularities you may have felt or bad dreams you may remember. Having this information to show your doctor, if needed, will help him / her identify poor sleeping patterns and better diagnose the problem.
How Food Affects Our Sleep
is one of the most common and can be purchased over-the-counter from pharmacies / health food stores. Other supplement options worth experimenting with include the following: Ginkgo biloba, Glycine, Valerian root, Magnesium, Lavender 5. Consider your lifestyle and other health concerns. Are you experiencing additional stress? Worry? Depression? These conditions can lead to sleep deprivation. Try combatting stressors with meditation, deep breathing, or anything else you find relaxing. 6. Address other health concerns. Another possibility may be sleep apnea. Here, a person’s breathing may stop overnight – a highly worrisome situation! Sleep apnea can be treated using a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine. This device will increase air pressure for the sleeper. Getting used to wearing a mask may take some time but there are many options available to ensure the best fit and maximum comfort. If you feel you are suffering from sleep apnea, schedule an appointment with your doctor for further testing and discussion. 7. Keep a sleep journal on your bedside table. This can be a simple notebook in which you can record when you wake up, how long you were awake for, and
What we eat – and when we eat it – may also keep us awake at night. One of the most common reasons for this is digestion. Avoid eating meals (or even snacks) two hours prior to turning in for the night. While you don’t want to go to bed hungry (a grumbling stomach will keep you awake), you don’t want to go to bed with a full stomach either. Heavier foods take longer to digest while excessive liquids (alcohol or otherwise) will result in more bathroom trips overnight. Foods to Eat to Promote Good Sleep When your mother offered you warm milk to help you sleep, she was right! Milk contains a nutrient known as Tryptophan. With increased Tryptophan in your system, your body will produce more serotonin and melatonin – both of which will help with relaxation. Drinking a warmed beverage can be very soothing as well. Here are a few other suggestions to try: Oatmeal, Kiwis, Nuts (specifically almonds and walnuts), Chicken noodle soup. Foods to Avoid Prior to Bedtime Drinking a cup of coffee in the morning can wake you up. Therefore, it makes sense that drinking a cup of coffee at night can keep you awake. You’ll also want to avoid other foods/beverages containing caffeine (food labels will list ingredients). Here are several other foods
This article is sponsored by Home Care Assistance, for more info visit > www.homecareassistance.com 24 BOOM!
April 2021
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