Sleeping tips

From sleepybed.com

For some lucky individuals getting to sleep is taken for granted, you go to bed and go to sleep. Unfortunately getting to sleep is not so easy for many people. However, there are plenty of ways to hack your sleeping habits so that you can get a good night's sleep under your belt.

Simple things like developing a schedule, organizing your life and having a routine go a long way in terms of improving your quality of sleep. Listening to some soft background music, switching off the television and computer, turning off the lights and maybe even having a cup of herbal tea are all legitimate examples of ways to improve your pre-sleep ritual and sleep better.

Alter your lifestyle

It stands to reason that what you do during the day is going to affect your sleep, either positively or negatively. These tips are broad in nature, but they are intended to provide a structure on top of which you can hack and find the perfect balance for your sleeping pattern.

1. Schedule sleep
   Your body clock needs a routine, which takes discipline. Try to get to bed at the same time every day of the week, including weekends. If you have missed your set time for bed, don't try to make up for lost sleep by staying in bed for an extra hour in the morning as this can easily reset your body clock and make it hard to sleep.
2. Develop a bedtime routine
   A good bedtime ritual will prompt your body to slow down and prepare itself for sleep. If you are struggling to sleep now, then you are going to have to start hacking your routine into shape.
3. Get organized for tomorrow
   Are you going to a meeting early? Do you have to do a presentation or hand in an essay? Planning your day out helps to de-clutter your mind, and a clearer mind means you can get over to sleep much easier. So make sure you have your suitcase / briefcase and stuff ready for tomorrow.
4. Take time to relax
   Find a place in your home where you can relax and calm down. Use this time wisely and read a book, meditate or do some breathing exercises to prepare your body for sleep.
5. Clear out your thoughts
   If you are anxious about something your brain will trigger your adrenal glands, which will make you more alert. You can ease anxiety prior to sleep by simply talking to someone or writing down the problem and solution. Get it off your chest before you go to bed!

Adjusting work habits

In today's non-stop world it is possible to work whenever and wherever you want. You boss might love the fact that you are working from home at 10pm, but your body clock is going to be %$&@ed off Guaranteed!

6. Be good, work hard
   Work is draining, especially if you happen to be a bricklayer or writing reports for 8 hours a day. Work hard during work hours so that you are tired at night.
7. GTD
   Get things done. Becoming efficient at work means that you can stay on top of your workload and reduce stress.
8. Laptops can be evil
   If you weren't working hard during work hours then you are inevitably going to find yourself working after hours from home on your laptop, which means late nights and a non-existent pre-sleep routine.
9. Turn off mobile phone
   If someone wants to get in touch with you, they can do it during business hours. Keeping your phone (and / or pager) switched off means that work stays at work and you can unwind at home.
10. Don't discuss work at home
    Anyone who works alongside their partner will testify to how difficult it is to turn work off at home; however, it is something you need to do. Talking about work keeps your brain active and can increase anxiety, which is not conducive to sleeping well.

Creating the right atmosphere

Someone with problems getting enough sleep are obviously going to benefit from a relaxing atmosphere that encourages the body to relax. This can be done very effectively with very little capital investment.

11. Wear loose clothing
    When you come in from work, get changed into your casual clothes. Do not stay in your work suit, it'll remind you of work and you'll probably not be able to get comfortable in it anyway.
12. Clean up stuff
    If there are clothes lying on the floor, made a mess of the kitchen preparing dinner or the kids have trashed the living room then clean it up. Tidying up your home in the evening will stop you from thinking about it, which in turn will reduce the chances of getting over to sleep.
13. Turn down the lights
    Your body will respond to light levels, so lots of light keeps your brain active. Dim the main lights and use some ambient lighting to create a calm and serene atmosphere.
14. Play background music
    Obviously this is going to vary widly depending on your personal taste, but soft background music will help create a chilled out atmosphere. One great tip is to fire up iTunes and hit up one of the many streaming radio stations in the ambient music category.
15. Dump you bedroom television
    Late night television is typically very poor quality and isn't fit for consumption anyway. Some people can fall asleep with the television on, others can't. If you suspect it is adversely affecting your sleeping habits, then get rid of it.

Tweak your diet

There is a ton of scientific evidence that clearly shows that diet has a direct effect on sleep. Again, these are broad tips to help you establish a diet that aids sleep.

16. Avoid large meals
    Make sure you eat your dinner a few hours before you go to bed and try to avoid liquids. A large meal shortly before bedtime may cause indigestion while too many beers will have you running to the bathroom all night.
17. Snack on foods rich in tryptophan
    Tryptophan is an amino acid that assists the brain in the production of serotonin, which helps you calm down and relax. Foods rich in tryptophan include milk, eggs, chicken and turkey among others.
18. Avoid caffeinated products like the plague!
    You all know the score here. Caffeinated products such as coffee and tea are the antithesis of what you should consume before bed.
19. Set meal times
    Eating what you want when you want is very enticing, but it's a really bad plan if you want to establish a sleeping pattern. Changing your meals times from day to day messes up your body clock; therefore, take measures to ensure you eat your meals (especially dinner) at a certain time of the day. Then stick to it!
20. Avoid alcohol?
    Some people will have a very light sleep or no sleep at all after a few glasses of wine, others will become oblivious to all things conscious and experience the most tranquil night of deep sleep.

Get tired

For some strange reason we can find ourselves resisting the urge to lie down and sleep, it's probably come sort of a survival tactic. If daily life has been good enough to leave you with some energy, then try out these tips to get tired.

21. Start early
    If you get up earlier in the morning you'll have the benefit of a more productive morning as well as the knock-on impact of being tired later in the day, perfect conditions for a good night sleep.
22. Read a book
    It doesn't have to be very interesting, in fact, the more boring it is the better. There's nothing like trying to get through a few chapters of Ulysses to drain your will to live.
23. Exercise
    If you can, go to work on a bicycle or walk. If you can't, go for a walk after work or play some sport. Exercise will expend energy and stimulate the release of serotonin. The bottom line is that exercise helps sleep.
24. Spend time outdoors
    Weather permitting, spend some time outdoors. Fresh air contains more oxygen than polluted indoor air, which helps to invigorate you early in the day or compound tiredness later in the day. Going for a brisk walk at night will help you get tired.

Last, but certainly not least

25. Sleep when sleepy
    Who hasn't fought the urge to sleep to stay up late and watch late night television? It's a total waste of time, we know that, but it makes absolutely no sense. You aren't going to get anything from it except a messed up sleeping pattern. If you are tired, then go to bed!