EIGHTEEN POINTS TOWARDS BETTER SLEEP
- Avoid daytime naps as they will reduce your need for sleep at night.
- Sleep alone in bed to avoid being disturbed.
- Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol too close to bedtime and not too large a meal near bedtime.
- Exercise regularly gradually increasing the length of your favourite exercise but always at least four hours before retiring.
- Take a good brand of multivitamin and minerals appropriate to your age.
- Get into a routine of same time to bed and arising after sleep.
- Wind down before bed with a good book (not too heavy) or a hot bath (not too hot) and a calming drink (not alcohol).
- Avoid television to unwind particularly news programmes or disturbing films. If anything, a good comedy of your choice would be preferable.
- Make sure you have no blue light apparatus or mobiles switched on in the bedroom.
- Use the bedroom only for sleep do not watch television eat or work there.
- If very hot put a water bottle in fridge to cool you down as well as your pillow and socks.
- If something is buzzing in your mind write it down ready to deal with in the morning.
- Get into a pre bed routine i.e. shower or bath, brush teeth, set alarm for your chosen time to awaken.
- Ensure the bedroom is dark, quiet, not too hot or cold. 16oc is ideal.
- Avoid heavy meals late at night. If you have to eat late pasta or porridge are ideal.
- Ensure bed is well made and comfortable, Swap duvet for cotton.
- Keep positive and listen to recordings of calming music or sounds of your choice as soon as you switch out the light.
- In addition, write a diary in which you list each night’s sleep, recording from when you get into bed, when you fall asleep and finally awake. Then total the hours slept for the week which gives you the visual results so you can evaluate your progress and highlight when any problems may arise .This CBT process will enable you to become positive in your own ability to banish insomnia and so effect change. Just ask me for the standard diary I publish for all my clients. Eventually you would look for a minimum of seven and a maximum of nine hours and as this goal is achieved so the subconscious relates to the expectation of a good night’s sleep habit. If by chance you are disturbed in the night you will know it was due to unusual extraneous noises that night and not blame it on insomnia. As you progress so you become more alert each day, have improved energy levels, and according to scientists may prolong life.