Getting A Good Nights Sleep

If you are one of the lucky people can easily drift off to sleep, you are certainly the envy of so many others who struggle nightly to get a decent night’s sleep.  Most experts agree that seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep each night is ideal.  By shorting yourself on sleep, you risk your mental alertness, your mood and even your job or school performance.  So, what should one do if counting sheep just isn’t doing the trick in getting you to sleep?  Let’s take a look at some viable options that do not include the use of over-the-counter or prescribed drugs.

One of the better ways to achieving a better night’s sleep is to get in to a regular habit of moderate exercise.  (Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any regular or intensive workout regimen.)  Exercise releases endorphins, which are your body’s very own “feel good” chemicals which in turn can help your mind navigate stress more easily and help you get to sleep.  Getting a good workout in the evening may just tire you slightly; enough to let you fall asleep naturally.

A consistent routine can also help.  Doing your nightly routine in order at approximately the same time will train your body in to a habit.  Normalizing a haphazard schedule can bring your body’s “clock” back in to synch and may make it easier to fall asleep.  Also, avoid eating dinner or heavy snacking right before you go to bed.  Trying to fall asleep on a full stomach could result in indigestion and your system having to work just that much harder.  On a similar note, when it comes to food, you may want to get with a nutritionist or your doctor to review your diet and see if there are any allergies that could be affecting your sleep pattern or food sensitivities that if corrected, might contribute to a better night’s sleep.

Certain methods of meditation, controlled breathing and gentle stretching before bedtime may also aid you in winding down after a hectic day just to calm your mind and relax your body.  A mild session of Pilates or yoga can help you focus your mind and clear your head to prepare you for sleep.  (Or, moving your sexual activity to the very end of the day may prove to be the perfect way to relax you and get you on your way to slumber land.)

If you’ve followed a routine and done your exercise for the day, what else can be done if you still can’t get enough sleep?  Try a CD of ambient “noise” or sounds from nature.  The lull of ocean waves or a bubbling stream just might be enough to take your mind off everything else so you can be successful at achieving some shut eye.  Calming, natural sounds can relax your mind without the distraction of structured music or lyrics.

Too many times, commercials preach that their sleep-aids can give you a good night’s sleep.  Medications should be a last resort and natural approaches are best when first trying to tackle light to moderate insomnia.  Simple solutions will save you from possibly becoming addicted (some sleep aids are indeed habit-forming) or conditioning your mind to think that you must take a pill in order to achieve sleep.  In some cases where natural methods are unsuccessful, consider consulting your doctor.  There could be an underlying medical condition that is preventing you from falling asleep.