Getting a good night's sleep

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Getting a good night's sleep

It is common to experience a sleepless night occasionally. The following tips may help you sleep better.

• Reserve the bedroom only for sleeping and sexual activities so that you come to associate it with sleep. Go to another room to read, watch television, or eat.
• Avoid activities that might keep you from getting a good night's sleep:
  • Do not take naps during the day, especially in the evening.
  • Do not exercise strenuously within 2 hours of bedtime.
  • Do not drink or eat caffeine after 3:00 p.m. This includes coffee, tea, cola drinks, and chocolate.
  • Do not smoke or use other tobacco products. Nicotine can disrupt sleep and reduce total sleep time. Smokers report more daytime sleepiness and minor accidents than do nonsmokers, especially in younger age groups.
  • Do not drink alcohol. It may make you sleepy but also will probably wake you up after a short time.
  • If you take medication that may be stimulating, such as antihistamines, decongestants, or asthma medications, take them as long before bedtime as possible.
• Create routines to help you sleep:
  • Set a bedtime and time to get up, and stick to them, even on weekends. This will help your body get used to a regular sleep time.
  • Exercise during the day.
  • Wind down toward the end of the day. Don't take on problem-solving conversations or challenging activities in the evening.
  • Take a warm bath before going to bed.
  • After getting into bed, deliberately relax your muscles. Imagine yourself in a peaceful, pleasant scene.
• Control your environment:
  • Keep your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet.
  • Remove distractions from your bedroom, such as a clock, telephone, or radio.
  • Use a humidifier or "white noise" machine to block out background noise in your bedroom throughout the night.
  • Try wearing a sleep mask and earplugs at night.

Credits

Last updated:	February 27, 2007
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, Colin Chalk, MD, CM, FRCPC - Neurology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer