How To Get A Good Nights Sleep

Recent studies show that 55% of the worlds populations are are not sleeping well. To look and feel fresh, you need to get approximately seven to nine hours of deep, restful and quality sleep each night. Sleep is a valuable and restorative resource that’s vital to well-being and stress management, but can sometimes be hard to come by for the busy and stressed. Here are some effective night-time habits to get into, to help enhance the amount and quality of sleep you get!

1. Light Exercise

Working at the office might make you sweat mentally, but it’s not giving your body enough exercise. People who have physical jobs tend to experience fewer problems with insomnia than those with office jobs because their bodies feel exhaustion too. Get plenty of exercise in the day so you’ll be naturally tired. Exercise will also help you get more oxygen to relax more. Remember not to exercise at least a couple of hours before bed so that you have time to wind down afterwards.

2. Take things that don't support sleep and romance out of your bedroom.

The purpose of your bedroom is ultimately to recharge you to be ready to deal with life. If you aren't sleeping well, take a good look around your room. Do you have a computer or work desk in there? Exercise equipment? TV? Telephone? And if you have them all in there, it's no wonder you have trouble sleeping! They don't do anything to help you relax or get to sleep. Find new homes for them. If you need to have a telephone in your bedroom, at least turn the ringer off. Sleep is too important to let wrong numbers wake you up!

3. Dust!

Keep your bedroom as well dusted as you can. Excess dust in your room makes it harder for you to breathe. It can cause allergy symptoms and seriously disturb your sleep. Dust frequently, especially if you have pets. Remember, don't only do the surfaces! Many people let dust collect under beds, furniture, on curtains, etc. for months and sometimes even years. Do in-depth dusting at least once a month and you will sleep much better.

4. Change the sheets!

Your sheets can be a source of your insomnia partly because they collect dust. Make sure you change your sheets at least once a week, but for some people who are very sensitive to dust, every 3 to 5 days works much better.

5. Keep a pen and paper by your bedside.

If you can't sleep, often it's because your mind is racing. Perhaps you are getting lots of ideas to solve a problem at work, or you are worried about a meeting tomorrow. Whatever is rolling around in your brain and won't stop, you need to get your thoughts on paper so you can get them off your mind! Keeping a journal has many stress and health benefits, making it a great way to end the day. Writing in a journal before bed can clear your mind, help you process emotions, solve problems, mentally prepare for the next day, make plans, and get your thoughts out of your head and on the page, where they can be picked up the next morning. A gratitude journal can get you in a positive frame of mind for sleep, and over time helps you change your whole frame of mind to a more positive, less stressed one. Writing helps clear your mental clutter so you can get some rest!

6. Have A Bedtime Schedule

Your life may not be routine, but your body likes it that way. Try to fall asleep and wake at the same time each day. even on the weekends. Work out how many hours your body needs to feel rested and schedule your sleep that way. Once your body gets used to a routine, it will naturally want to fall asleep at the scheduled time. Keep your biological clock turning in the right direction; otherwise you will be fighting against it. To help with this...

7. Have A “Going To Bed” Ritual

If you’re like most people, there are periods of lost time where you’re doing something but you don’t actually have to think about doing it. They are so automatic that you can daydream about anything else and come back down to earth when the task is complete.

Shaving does this for me. The rest of the world disappears while I shave. For some this happens while washing their hair or taking a shower.

You can create this state before sleep by establishing a repeated pattern. This teaches the brain that the last part of the routine is sleep.

A typical pattern may be:

1) Read something light for 20 minutes

2) Check doors

3) Go upstairs

4) Toilet

5) Brush teeth

6) Set Alarm

After following such a pattern for long time, you’ll not only induce the relaxed daydreaming state, but you will able to condition yourself to make the whole process more effective. Remember that by improving your sleep you will have a dramatic impact on your body composition, performance and health. If after using these techniques you're still having trouble then talk to your GP.