How to Sleep Well Every Night

How to sleep better every night is as much an art as it is a science. Your personal sleep patterns and daily habits affect the quality of your sleep as much as your body's natural ability to sleep. If you have difficulty either falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting restful sleep, know that you are not alone. Millions of people around the world struggle with getting a good night's sleep.

The good news is that you can do many simple things to learn how to get good, natural sleep every night.  Everything from the foods you eat to your daily activities to your sleeping environment affect the quality of your sleep. Adopting even a few of the sleep tips below could make a tremendous difference in how well you sleep.

Getting the best sleep benefits actually begins with your daytime habits. Avoid eating large, heavy, or spicy meals within 3 hours of bedtime so digestion is completed by the time you go to bed. Avoid drinking liquids too close to bedtime as well to keep from getting up in the middle of the night for the bathroom. And consume any caffeinated foods and liquids such as coffee, tea, and chocolate at least 6 hours before bedtime.

Alcohol should also be avoided in this timeframe. Although it may relax you, it's not a sleep aid - it has a stimulating effect later and may tend to wake you in the night. Nicotine is another stimulant, so smoking should be avoided close to bedtime, too. Often medications are stimulating or list insomnia as a side effect, so ask your doctor what alternatives are available.

It is best to wind down your activities in the evening to those that are more relaxing and conducive to REM sleep, such as reading or listening to easy music.  Better yet, take a soothing aromatherapy bath, adding a few drops of lavender, clary sage or chamomile essential oils. If possible, avoid doing engaging office work or strenuous housework in the evening. Also avoid watching television, especially disturbing news programs or exciting dramas. Even the ads are designed to stimulate you, not help you fall asleep.

Although getting plenty of consistent exercise does help you sleep better, avoid exercising later in the day as it is too stimulating and can actually give you trouble sleeping. Gentle yoga, stretching or meditation, however, are more conducive to sleep. If pain keeps you awake at night, you may consider massage therapy to decrease muscle pain and tension. Also, if you are accustomed to taking naps during the day, keep your naps to 20 or 30 minutes, and take them earlier in the afternoon.

Your sleeping environment also influences how well you sleep. Keep your bedroom as dark, quiet, cool, and comfortable as possible for the best sleep. If necessary, invest in black out shades or an eye mask, a white noise machine or earplugs, and a more comfortable bed or linens. Turn off the phone, the radio and the television. Turn on a portable fan or ceiling fan for better air circulation. Keeping the room cooler has been shown to be conducive to better sleep.

It is important to establish a regular sleep schedule that you stick to every day of the week. Try to go to bed and rise at the same time every day. That includes weekends!  Pay attention to your body's natural rhythms, and design your life and work activities as much as possible around when you feel awake, and your sleep hours around when you are naturally the sleepiest.

If you are dealing with sleep deprivation at night, try some deep breathing exercises. Empty your mind of all the thoughts and worries of the day. If necessary, write down your concerns or your to do list for the following day so you can let those thoughts go for now and focus only on sleep. Instead of engaging your mind in counting sheep or other mental tricks, try relaxing every muscle in your body, working from your head to your toes. Or experiment with visual imagery, imagining a place of peace and beauty that makes you feel very relaxed.

These same sleeping tips also help you fall back asleep if you wake during the night.  Instead of panicking about how much sleep you are losing, focus on reducing your anxiety and relaxing as much as possible. If you haven't fallen asleep after 15 or 20 minutes, try reading for a little while until you feel sleepy again.

Good daytime habits and sleep patterns can go a long way towards being able to sleep well every night.  Many of the above recommendations are simple common sense.  And yet so many people are unaware of just how much they affect the ability to get a good night's sleep. Because sleep disorder can affect so many aspects of your health, well-being, appearance and even productivity level, be willing to make some of these simple changes that can change your life for the better.