Ideal sleep for an average adult means falling asleep within 30 minutes, not waking more than once, and taking less than 20 minutes to return to sleep when you do wake at night. Is your sleep less than ideal? Read on!
Here are some tips to help get the rest you need!
Turn off electronics. Phones, tablets and computers bleep and flash and these noises can disturb your sleep. Don’t charge your electronics in your bedroom!
Daytime naps? While short naps can recharge and improve productivity, longer ones can leave you groggy and make it more difficult to get a good night’s sleep. Limit daytime naps to 20 mins or less.
Watching the clock? Some find they check the time frequently when they wake at night, getting upset about being unable to get back to sleep quickly. For some, turning the clock away from view or putting it in a drawer can mean a better night’s sleep.
Get comfy… A relaxing bath with Epsom salts can relieve muscle and joint pain and set you up for a good rest. If your bed is not comfortable, consider a new mattress or memory foam topper. Your pillow needs to be the right depth to support the natural curve of your neck and a second pillow for between or under knees may make you more comfortable, especially if issues with back pain. A dark, relatively cool room also helps sleep.
Allergies? If you get stuffy at night, you may be allergic to dust mites, one of the most common allergies. These are microscopic creatures that live off dead skin cells in our mattresses. Dust mite proof or plastic mattress covers that are wiped down or vacuumed regularly plus washing bedding (including pillows) in hot water reduces mite counts and can eliminate or greatly reduce this problem.
Stick to sleep and sex… Working, watching TV or surfing the internet in bed trains your brain to be alert in the bedroom. Keep your sleep environment relaxing by saving it for only sleep and sex.
Wake/sleep cycle… Establish routine bed and wake times. This can help people of any age fall asleep more quickly and sleep more soundly. Lowering lights in the evening also helps set up for sleep and bright light for 5 to 30 minutes when you wake up helps get you going in the morning too.
Avoid caffeine. Some people who don’t metabolize caffeine well may find that any caffeine results in a poor night’s sleep. For most, avoiding caffeine after noontime is usually sufficient. Watch for hidden caffeine in chocolate and some “herbal” teas, pain relievers and weight loss pills.
Exercise can help or hinder. Regular exercise can improve sleep, but some experience a post-workout increase in energy that could keep you awake. Try scheduling exercise to finish 3 to 4 hours before bedtime. Relaxing exercise, like yoga or tai chi, however, can help sleep when done just before bed.
Alcohol. Alcohol can make you drowsy but, when the effect wears off, you may find yourself waking up more often. Mid-life women may actually experience increased hormone swings several hours after consuming alcohol. Try non-caffeine herbal tea instead if you notice this connection.
Getting up to pee? Try avoiding liquids for 2 hours before bed.
Noises at night? Use earplugs or try a white noise machine or fan to drown out traffic, a dripping faucet, hubby’s snoring or the neighbour’s barking dog.
Still smoking? Nicotine is a stimulant that can make insomnia worse…yet another good reason to quit!
And doggie makes three… You love your pet but he can be the cause of nighttime wakening as well as allergies. Ask your vet or pet school how to train your pet to sleep in his own bed. Same goes for toddlers – but talk to a sleep specialist or your doctor instead of the vet...
Consider meditation. Meditation trains you to put active thoughts out of your mind. Clearing your thoughts for even 10 mins before bed can help you fall asleep. Avoiding work or complex discussions for 2 to 3 hours before you retire is also advised for best sleep.
Careful with sleeping pills. Many prescription sleeping medications are habit forming and only recommended for up to 7 days of continuous use. Rebound insomnia can occur with guaranteed poor sleep for up to several weeks on discontinuation. Some also have side effects such as memory impairment and use in elderly is associated with falls that can cause bone fractures.
Non-prescription supplements?
A magnesium supplement taken at bedtime relaxes muscles and can help sleep. Magnesium is important for bone health too, so you may benefit from it in more than one way...
Chamomile tea or valerian in pill or tea form can help sleep and are non-addicting. Valerian smells somewhat like “dirty socks”, though, so I’d suggest the pill form!
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) can help reduce production of the stress hormone, cortisol, that is sometimes inappropriately produced at night in stressed people, causing them to wake at night feeling “tired but wired”. B5 is a common ingredient in vitamin B-based stress formulas available without prescription.
Antihistamines, like Gravol (dimenhydrinate) or Benadryl (diphenhydramine, also used in several non-prescription sleep aids), are not recommended for nightly use. Both have been reported to be habit forming and tolerance develops to the drowsy effect within a few days, leading some to increase the dose inappropriately. Withdrawal effects can be noted with the drug is stopped.
Look for a possible cause. Ask your doctor if a health condition like acid reflux, arthritis, asthma, depression or hormone imbalance could be causing the problem. Get your pharmacist to check if a medication you are taking could be contributing to insomnia. Try keeping a sleep diary to determine what factors might be interfering with your sleep. Ask about the possibility of treatment at a sleep clinic.
Lastly, until you find the solution to your problem, avoid tossing and turning in bed. Get up and do something calming, like reading for 10 or 15 minutes. Chances are you’ll fall asleep more easily when you return to bed!
