Sleep Tip #58: Meditate for Better Sleep

The stresses of the day can wreak havoc on your mind and body at night. Your mind may run wild, preventing you from sleeping even if you are exhausted. You may even toss and turn as you remember things that you may have forgotten to do or need to do the following day. A great way to prepare for bed is through a nice meditation session. If you haven't meditated before, it revolves around breathing exercises to help you relax mentally and physically. For a quick guide to meditating, refer here: http://www.howtomeditate.us/
The next time you can’t sleep, try meditating for a few minutes and release any stressful thoughts that may be keeping you awake. This will allow you to be at peace and get quality sleep!

Sleep Tip #57: Eat a Banana

It can be difficult to fall asleep when your tummy is rumbling, so a nighttime snack may be what you need to fall asleep! The problem is that many people will snack on foods that are high in sugar, fats and other ingredients that are both bad for your health and keep you awake. Next time you’re feeling hungry before bed, grab a banana. This fruit contains high amounts of the sleep inducing hormones melatonin and tryptophan. This quick little snack will help you snooze soundly!

Sleep Tip #55: How to Fix a Slightly Large Mattress Cover or Sheet

Is your mattress cover or bed sheet a tad bit too large for your bed? Bed sheets can become larger over time as the threads stretch from being used. If you’re not looking to whip out a sewing kit, simply place a blanket or comforter over your mattress before putting on the cover/sheet. This will increase the surface area that the sheet has to cover, creating a snugger fit. It will also add an extra layer of comfort to your mattress. Think of it as a homemade pillow top cover!

Sleep Tip #53: Get Up if You Wake Up

Have you ever woken up 10 minutes, 30 minutes, or even an hour before your alarm clock goes off and realized you're wide awake? Many times a person will fight this wakefulness and go back to bed until their alarm goes off. This however may cause you to feel drowsy and make getting out of bed harder. If you find yourself waking up before your alarm, embrace it! This is your natural circadian rhythm waking you up because it is morning. By getting up when your body naturally wakes you, you will feel more energized and have a much better start to your day!

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 #36: Make Your Bed

The secret behind making your bed is, well, there is no secret. One of the key ingredients to making a perfect sleep environment is having a clean and tidy room. That extends all the way to your bed. Getting up and making your bed will not only lead to a more calming environment, but it will also help alleviate morning stress. Have you ever lost your keys or phone and found them tangled in the covers? Making your bed first thing will help keep you from accidentally losing your possessions in the morning. We all know how stressful it can be when you can’t find your car keys. Make your bed and your morning routine will be easier.

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 #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 #29: Clean Your Room

Have you ever entered your room when it’s a mess and you start to stress about cleaning it? Many people do not enter their bedroom until after work or in the evening when preparing for bed. Having to clean your room before bedtime can stimulate your mind and prevent you from falling asleep. If you decide to clean your room the following day, you may unknowingly stimulate the brain as you try to fit cleaning the room into your hectic schedule. By keeping your room tidy, you can avoid the stress that comes along with organizing and cleaning.

Sleep Tip #28: Advice for the Side Sleeper

Sleeping on your side can reduce the chances you will snore during the night, a condition that can unknowingly decrease the quality of your sleep, if not wake you up entirely. But when it comes to sleeping on your side, sleeping on your right side is best advised. If you sleep on your left, your body puts extra strain and pressure on your heart, liver and other internal organs. This can possibly lead to health issues later on in life. To avoid any complications, sleeping on your right side is best.

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 #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 #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.