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Health & Wellness Article

Real Tips for Better Sleep

Millions of Americans suffer from insomnia. Sometimes it is caused by a medical condition, and other times it may be due to an interruption in your sleep schedule, such as travel. Often, however, it is due to stress and anxiety.

If you lay awake at night with your mind spinning too fast, with too many thoughts running through your head... you may need to recondition yourself.

As children, many of us could run full-steam-ahead all the way up until bedtime. As you get older, like a "classic" car, the body takes a little more time to warm up, and to shut down as well. The key to improving your health and wellness and combating sleepless nights is to prepare your mind and body for bedtime.

The first step in preparing for bedtime is to condition your mind to equate the bedroom with sleep. If you sit in bed and watch TV or read a book, your mind may not be making the bed = sleep connection. Try reading or watching television out in the living room instead. Another reason your mind may not be making the connection is because you go to bed without being truly sleepy. You may be tired, but are you ready to sleep? Stay out of the bedroom until you feel like you are ready to fall asleep. This way you're not laying in bed thinking about things for too long, and your mind begins to recondition itself to fall asleep QUICKLY once you get into bed. You are, of course, allowed to use the bed for sex. ;)

The second step in promoting wellness with a good night's sleep is to give you ample time to wind down. I used to work all the way up until bed time and then wonder why I couldn't get to sleep. Or I would work until 9pm, then take a shower or eat something, and lay awake in bed from 10pm until 2am. Doing anything that requires a lot of movement should be avoided for an hour prior to bed time. Eating requires blood to circulate through the digestive track and should also be avoided, as should drinking anything - even herbal tea - unless you have a very strong bladder that can last all night. Use this hour to meditate on the thoughts of the day. Get them out of the way so you can prepare your mind for sleep. This is also a good time to read a book (in the living room) or talk to your spouse. Because many couples wait until they are both in bed to talk about what's on their mind, this is often a cause of sleepless nights. And never, ever, EVER, go to bed angry. Think of the last hour of the day as a time for cleansing, a time for closure on the day's issues.

Step Five - Now back to conditioning the mind. Once you are able to get to sleep, try doing so at the same time each night. Your body naturally wants to fall into a rhythm. Let it. "Bed times" aren't just for children. And be careful not to get too far away from your bed time on the weekends because it might take until Wednesday for you to get back on track. Here's a tip: If you stay up later on weekends, Sunday night is a good time to take Melatonin or a prescribed sleeping pill. If you follow the tips in this article, it won't be necessary to have "assistance" sleeping every night. Of course, you should get an OK from your doctor before taking any medication, over-the-counter or otherwise.

The sixth step to improving overall health and wellness isn't just about sleep, although the purpose of mentioning it here and now is because it will help you fall asleep. GET EXERCISE! You will sleep so much better if you have done something active, such as a fitness routine, or an outdoor activity, at some point during the day. Even if it's only for 15-minutes, DO SOMETHING.

Similarly, you will find it easier to sleep if you have stretched. A light stretch in the morning, and one about a half hour before bed is all you really need - other than your exercise-related stretching - to improve wellness and help you sleep.

Number seven is the blackout. Make your bedroom dark. I mean, really, pitch black dark! My wife and I went out and spend about $50 on wooden blinds and they don't let a single ray of light into the room unless we open them. I slept better from the very first night. You would be surprised how much light a full-moon allows in, let alone if you live in the city near street lights.

Last but not least, if you can't fall asleep within about 20 minutes, get up, leave the room, and do something that does not require a lot of activity, such as reading a book. There is no need to look at the clock to see if 20-minutes have gone by. This is just a guideline. You'll know if you can't sleep.

If you follow the instructions above and are still having trouble getting to sleep, or staying asleep, you may have a health problem that could be seriously impacting your wellness, both mentally and physically. There is a time and a place for sleep aids. If you need them, don't be afraid to ask your doctor. Do your best to fix the problem without them, however.