Sleep Tip #50: Don’t Go to Bed Angry

You should never go to sleep angry or if you have had a negative emotional response to an event. Research shows that sleep preserves or protects unpleasant emotional memories. While you sleep, your brain replays the day’s events and records bits of data including your emotional responses. When you are reminded of the event, your emotional response may be similar to your initial reaction. Typically, your mind will prevent you from falling asleep after such an event as a defense mechanism. The longer you are awake, the more information and thoughts will enter your mind and the less your brain will record from the traumatic experience.

Sleep Tip #47 - Sleep Your Way to a Great Morning

We’ve all woken up on the wrong side of the bed, stubbed our toe as we drag ourselves out of bed and sluggishly begin to get ready for the day. We’ve all missed breakfast and forgotten our cellphone on our night stand. At some point, everyone has had a bad start to their morning. The key to having a great morning is by getting the proper amount and quality of sleep. By getting great sleep you will wake up refreshed, energized and your mind will be operational. Not getting proper sleep can lead to confusion in the morning, fatigue and minimal energy. So if you can’t seem to catch a break in the morning, it’s time to figure out why you aren’t sleeping well!

Sleep Tip #34: Wake Up During the Night? Don’t Turn on the Light!

It is part of nature that we sometimes wake up in the middle of the night with the need for the restroom. Fighting it will cause pain and not let you sleep, so most of us give in to the urge. One mistake many people make is by turning on their room light or bedside lamp. Turning on such a bright light will abruptly force your eyes to begin adjusting to the intense brightness, often times tricking your brain into believing it is time to wake up. When this happens it may be increasingly harder to fall back asleep, as your body prepares to begin daily activities. It is recommended to use a nightlight or flashlight when you wake up at night so you do not trigger your brain into believing it is morning. This will make much easier to doze off again once back in bed.

Sleep Tip #32: How to Keep Your Partner From Rolling and Snoring

One of the most common causes of snoring is when a person rolls onto their back while sleeping. This can cause a person to snore loudly and disrupt sleep for everyone in the room. A home remedy to help stop this person from rolling over is to use a pillow or rolled up towel. Place the pillow or towel by their back to create a wedge. When the person has the urge to roll over, this wedge will make it harder to move onto their back and may prevent them from doing so all together. Over time, this person may unknowingly train themselves to stop rolling on their back.

Sleep Tip #31 - Use Alarm and Light to Wake Up

Getting into a solid wake routine can be difficult, especially when the days begin to get shorter. Waking up when it is dark can be hard, and the snooze button may become your best friend. Here is a way to kick that habit and begin your day on the right foot...
Go to a local hardware store and purchase a plug-in timer for around $10. Then, plug a lamp or bright light into the timer and set the timer to turn on the light when your alarm clock is set to go off. Move your alarm clock across your room so you are less likely to hit the snooze button. The combination of the alarm further away from your bed and the room being lit will help signal to your brain that it is morning, and it’s time to start your day.

Sleep Tip #30: Dealing With RLS

Many people suffer from RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) and feel there may be no help in sight. One major impact on your symptoms may include a lifestyle change. Cutting back on caffeine and exercising more are some steps that you may need to take. Saying no to alcohol and cigarettes can make RLS symptoms worse and occur more frequently, so you may need to say “no” to these items. Weight loss and yoga may also help relieve some of the painful symptoms associated with RLS. If you find that some of these lifestyle changes have helped, please let us know in the comments!

Sleep Tip #27: Power Nap

We have all been there. The day is dragging on, and lunchtime can’t come soon enough. If the coffee isn’t cutting it and you are exhausted, a power nap might be just what you need. Work can be hard and exhausting, so if you feel as if you are slowing down, lay down for a quick 15 to 20 minute nap. This will help energize you, allow you to focus and be more productive than when you’re falling asleep. Do not make this a daily routine as it may cut into your nighttime sleep, but a quick nap every now and then will boost your morale.

Sleep Tip #25: Sleep on Your Back to Avoid Wrinkles

People are always trying to figure out what the best sleep position is, and if your main concern is aging, then try sleeping on your back. Sleeping on your side or stomach night after night may produce something called "sleep lines," or wrinkles that stay in your skin throughout the day. Sleeping on your side will create these lines in your cheeks, while sleeping on your stomach will make these wrinkles appear on your brow. So in order for the ultimate beauty sleep, sleep on your back!

Sleep Tip #24: Sleep With Your Mouth Closed

If you find yourself waking up thirsty and with a dry mouth, it may be caused by a sleep disorder. Often times when people breathe through their nose and the body senses it is not getting enough oxygen, a person may unconsciously open their mouth to breathe. This can lead to you waking up throughout the night, or perhaps lessening the quality of your sleep. Try to use nose strips to expand your nasal airway to ensure you are getting enough oxygen. If this does not help, you may want to consult your doctor.

Sleep Tip #23: Quit Smoking to Quit Snoring!

Do find yourself snoring every night and interrupting your partner's or your own sleep? Are you currently a cigarette smoker? If you have answered yes to both of those questions, it is time to quit! Smokers are more likely to be linked to snoring than non-smokers. Respiratory mucus is stimulated in long time smokers, which blocks the nasal passage and creates snoring. A study also revealed that the more a person smokes, the louder they snore. Try your best to quit smoking in order to alleviate your snoring woes.

Sleep Tip #22: Clean Your Pillows

It is summer time, and now more than ever, you should be washing not only your pillow covers, but the pillow itself. Hot and humid air can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Even if you have air conditioning, the sweat and oil from your body and hair that rubs off while you rest can hurt your sleep. Make sure to wash your covers at least once a week and your pillow at least once a month to get rid of any bacteria that might have built up. This will also help alleviate any allergies or allergic reactions to any substance that has penetrated the cover and gotten into the pillow itself.

Sleep Tip #21: Try Another Position

It is very common that a person will fall into a pattern during sleep. The position we sleep in is typically decided by which feels most comfortable. This however may be doing you more harm than good. If you still cannot sleep, try changing the angle or position in which you sleep. This could help open your throat for better air flow, could angle your head and neck for better support, and it may even help relax the body more. It is always a good idea to surprise your mind and body occasionally.

Sleep Tip #19: Sleeping Pills are a Last Resort

If you haven’t taken a sleeping pill, congratulations, and do not start! Sleeping pills should be a last resort when all else fails. Not only can you become dependent on them in order to sleep, they can have side effects that hinder long term health. One of the most common side effects of sleeping pills is your morning mood. Even when you get the recommended amount of sleep, you most likely will wake up groggy and moody. This is due to the sleeping pill still influencing your body even as you wake up. It can take sometimes an entire day for the effects of the sleeping pills to wear off.

Sleep Tip #18: Aromatherapy

Anyone you ask can attribute stress to the reasoning that they sometimes cannot sleep. The mind is a powerful tool, and when it is overworked, it has a hard time relaxing. Smell is a very powerful sense. Using aromatherapy candles and oils in your bedroom will help to ease the stress or tension while relaxing your mind and body in bed. Another great idea is to use these candles and oils during a warm bath. Allowing peace and quiet in a relaxing environment will help the mind wind down, and make it easier to forget the days stressors and fall asleep.

Sleep Tip #17: Wear Something Comfortable

As easy as it may sound, there are countless times where people are just so tired that they go to sleep in the clothes they wore that day. Wearing jeans or long pants may be fine at first, but as you sleep your body will begin to sweat. If your uncomfortable in your sleep, you will most likely toss and turn. While tossing and turning you can accidentally shift your clothing into an uncomfortable position which will force you awake, and probably cause you to change. This disrupts your sleep, when it could have been avoided in the first place.

Sleep Tip #16 - Control Your Stress and Anxiety

If you find that you wake up during the night or have a hard time falling asleep, it is time to get your stress and anxiety under control! Take note of the recurring thoughts that are hurting your sleep cycle. Then figure out what you need to do during the day that will help reduce your stress at night.

If you can't sleep because of worried thoughts, or things that are out of your control, you must learn to manage your anxiety! Go over everything and see if what you are worrying about is even realistic. If you find your thoughts to be irrational, you should replace them with productive ideas. Maintain a calm and positive outlook on life to sleep better at night!

Sleep Tip #13: Get Out of Bed

There is no worse feeling than laying in bed trying to fall asleep without being able to. In fact, the stress created by praying you fall asleep will actually keep you up longer. If you have trouble falling asleep, make sure to get up and out of bed, and do something that will relax you. Listen to light music, read part of your book or even clean. Doing an activity out of bed to help promote sleep will relieve the stress of not being able to. Once you are tired again, get back into bed, clear your mind and be at peace.

Sleep Tip #10: Avoid Stimulants

Avoid coffee, soda, alcohol or anything that will stimulate your body before bed. Stimulants such as coffee or soda contain caffeine, which will speed up your heart rate, giving you increased level of energy. This will make it harder for you to fall asleep as your body wants to release the new found energy. Alcohol may relax you before bed, making it easier to fall asleep, but it is deceiving. Yes, you may fall asleep, but it may wake you up, needing to use the bathroom. It also keeps you from entering a deeper state of sleep, and you will more commonly wake up still sleepy.

Sleep Tip #9: No Technology Before Bed

Do not watch TV or use the computer before bed. The bright lights that are emitted from the television and computer screens can trick your mind into thinking it is supposed to be awake. The rays of light that continuously change in brightness and color on the screens can cause the brain to become more active then it should be while inducing sleep. The brain will begin to process the images you see on the screen, which will make it harder for the body to induce a state of drowsiness.

Sleep Tip #7: Do Not Bathe Before Bed

Bathe 2 hours before bed. If you have trouble getting to sleep, it may be because you shower right before you get into bed. The human body begins to lower the core body temperature to help promote and induce a deep sleep. Bathing before bed will raise your body temperature and make it more difficult to fall asleep. Taking a bath or shower 2 hours prior to getting into bed will raise your body temperature from the hot water, and then cause a greater drop of body temperature as your body prepares internally for sleep. This increases the release of melatonin, a chemical that causes you to become tired.