5 Ways to Get Better Sleep

May is Better Sleep Month.  We’re shedding light on sleep – what happens when you don’t get enough, and how you can. When you don’t get the amount of sleep your body needs – and it’s different for everyone – you can become more than just tired.  Here are some of the things you can experience when running on little sleep:

• Weaker immune system and higher risk of illness
• Lethargy
• Muddled memory
• Sluggish reflexes
• Heightened stress
• Clumsy mistakes
• Shortened temper

Sound familiar?  All of these can be avoided by creating a peaceful sleeping environment, both outside and inside your body.  

5 Ways to Get Better Sleep

1. Keep distractions to a minimum.

Don’t use your bedroom for anything other than sleeping. Eating, watching TV, and working can cause your bedroom to become more of a recreation room, and your sleep might come less easily. Although, I know my biggest distraction is my husband snoring all night long. 

2. Make sleep a priority.

Don’t stay up late if you don’t have to.  Staying up late for any reason throws your body out of whack.  Try to go to sleep at the same time every night to make sure you get the sleep you need.  I never go to sleep at the same time.  This is going to be the hardest one for me.

3. Caffeine – need I say more?

If you’re like me, you crave caffeine and must have it at least once during the day. But ingesting caffeine late in the day or at night can make it not only hard for you to fall asleep, but hard to reach a deep sleep

4. Make your room ready for sleep.

Keep yourself in dreamland even when the dog next door won’t stop barking or the sun pokes in at 5am. Get dark shades for your room that will keep out early morning light. You can use earplugs to keep out neighborhood noise, or I personally recommend a white noise machine. I use it when I need to get a good night’s sleep. They’re really inexpensive and block out most noise.

5. Cut down on cigarettes and alcohol.

Both of these have horrible effects on your sleep patterns and quality of sleep. They make it harder to fall asleep and can cause you to wake frequently during the night.                                                               
                                                                                                   
                                                                                      -Jessica Dembo
                                                                                       Associate Media Manager

                        
Let us know!  How do you ensure a good night’s sleep?  Share your tips by posting a comment.