How To Get A Good Night's Sleep

Having sleep problems? Not able to fall asleep? Wake up often? Don't feel fresh when waking? Simply want to improve quality f sleep? Here are some tips that you can follow to get back to a good night's sleep.

1. Listen to relaxation music: You can listen to what is called 'white noise'. These include sounds of nature, like the sound of the waves of the ocean; the sounds of the air rushing through a forest with the sounds of the forest itself and the sounds of birds chirping and singing. Listen to these sounds jut before going to sleep.

2. Avoid snacks before bed: Particularly sugars and grains. They raise your blood glucose levels and inhibit sleep. Later on, during the night, when the blood sugar level goes down, you wake up and find it difficult to go to sleep again.

3. No television before bed: Better that this is to get the television set out of the house. Not only will you sleep better, the quality of your life is bound to change for the better. Actually, watching TV before bed stimulates the brain and disrupts the pineal gland, disrupting sleep.

4. Complete darkness is advisable: Or as close as you can get to total darkness. There is a hormone called melatonin, also known as the hormone of darkness, that regulates sleep and is produced by the pineal gland. Melatonin secretion is very sensitive to light and high levels of light inhibit the production of the hormone which in turn, disturbs the onset of sleep. The tiniest bit of light can disturb your so called 'circadian rhythm' and consequently upset your sleep. Keep the light in the bathroom as dim as possible. Switching on the production of melatonin stops for the night and getting back to sleep is difficult.

5. Socks: Believe it or not, wearing socks helps sleep. Because of the poor circulation during night the feet get cold earlier than the rest of the body at night. Warm feet are a sign of good blood circulation and it has been found that increase in blood flow to the extremities, the hands and the feet, induces sleep.

6. Reading religious or spiritual books: This helps induce sleep as it relaxes not only the mind but also the body. Avoid thrillers and suspense novels. It not only raises your adrenalin, the urge to finish the book may keep you awake throughout the night.

7. Avoid caffeine: For some people the metabolism (absorption) of caffeine takes a long time and the effects linger for a long time after its consumption. So a cup of coffee taken in the late afternoon might well be the cause of your not being able to go to sleep. Some diet pills also contain caffeine.

8. Early to bed and early to rise: Most of the systems of our bodies do their recharging while we are asleep, mostly between 11:00 p.m. and 01:00 a.m. Also the toxins in the body are readied for dumping during this time. Staying awake for a long time disrupts this timing and the toxins are backed up into your liver and consequently back into your system, causing further disturbances to your health. Learn from the animals, they go to bed early. Have you ever seen a fat animal? Or one with blood pressure?

9. Brush your teeth before going to bed. It has been found that brushing your teeth before going to bed help you to sleep soundly.

So go to sleep early, follow the tips given above and have a healthy life.