Sleep Help Sleep Hygiene
Feeling Tired and Can't Sleep?
Exercise
Getting exercise every day has its benefits. That’s not debatable. However, strenuous exercise done in the early evening or later can affect your ability to fall asleep because it raises your body temperature and it won’t begin to fall for several hours. It’s much easier to fall asleep when body temperature is lower.
Exercising in the morning is ideal, as this allows ample time for your body temperature to cool before bedtime. ( Unless you work the night shift of course, in which case reverse this) Whatever you do however, do not stop exercising as it is known that daily exercise improves sleep.
Caffeine
Caffeine Most people won’t drink caffeinated coffee at night because they realize that caffeine can keep them awake. But coffee is not the only beverage containing caffeine. Soda, tea and some energy drinks also contain caffeine and should be avoided in the afternoon and evening. Decaffeinated tea and colas are now readily available and taste just as good.
Chocolate also contains caffeine and although desserts containing chocolate are OK in moderation, a whole bar of chocolate is not a good idea. Everyone reacts differently to caffeine and usually younger adults can get away with it but as we get older many of us start to notice that caffeine disturbs our sleep. If you think caffeine might be impacting your sleep, eliminate all caffeine in the afternoon and evening for a few days and see if it helps.
Alcohol
One misconception about alcohol is that it helps you sleep. Alcohol can bring sleep on faster, but it may cause you to wake more often. As with caffeine, stop consuming alcoholic beverages at night for a few days and see if you feel more refreshed in the morning. And kick the nicotine habit once and for all for better sleep and better health! Drinking a lot of fluids, caffeinated, alcoholic or otherwise, will cause you to wake frequently too because you’ll have to urinate more.
Nicotine
Like caffeine nicotine is a stimulant and can stop you falling asleep. For heavy smokers nicotine withdrawals can kick in during your sleep time and wake you up. So if you still smoke that dangerous weeed it is time to kick the habit now.
Food and Drink
Some foods, especially those that can cause heartburn, can negatively affect your sleep. Tomato-based foods/beverages and spicy foods are the biggest instigators of heartburn. Heartburn, which intensifies when you lie down, causes much discomfort during sleep and that discomfort can cause you to wake often during sleep.
Napping
You may love to nap, but napping can mean you don’t feel tired enough to sleep well at night.Nap only briefly, no longer than 30 minutes or eliminate napping entirely and see if doing so enhances your sleep time.
