Boost melatonin production at night:
- Turn off your television and computer
- Don't read from a backlit device at night (such as an iPad)
- Change your bright light bulbs
- When it's time to sleep, make sure the room is dark
- Use a flashlight to go to the bathroom at night
Eat right and get regular exercise:
- Stay away from big meals at night
- Avoid alcohol before bed
- Cut down on caffeine
- Avoid drinking too many liquids in the evening
- Quit smoking
Relaxation techniques for better sleep:
- Deep breathing
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Visualizing a peaceful, restful place
Ways to get back to sleep:
- Stay out of your head
- Make relaxation your goal, not sleep
- Do a quiet, non-stimulating activity
- Postpone worrying and brainstorming
Cope with shift work sleep disorder:
- Limit the number of night or irregular shifts
- Avoid a long commute
- Drink caffeinated drinks early in your shift
- Take frequent breaks and use them to move around
- Adjust your sleep-wake schedule
- Eliminate noise and light from your bedroom during the day
- Make sleep a priority at the weekends
Relaxing bedtime rituals to try:
- Read a book or magazine by a soft light
- Take a warm bath
- Listen to soft music
- Do some easy stretches
- Wind down with a favorite hobby
- Listen to books on tape
- Make simple preparations for the next day.
You feel during your waking hours hinges greatly on how well you sleep. Similarly, the cure for sleep difficulties can often be found in your daily routine. Your sleep schedule, bedtime habits, and day-t-day lifestyle choices can make an enormous differences to the quality of your nightly rest.The above tips will help you optimize your sleep so you can be productive, mentally sharp, emotionally balanced, and full of energy all day long.