- Stress Got You Down?
- Put Sleep at the Top of Your To-Do
List
- By:
Better Sleep Council
 Advice for stress-free days, sleep-filled
nights
(ARA) - To do today: work projects, school activities, sports
practice, music lessons, neighborhood meeting, household chores,
and family time. Oh -- and somewhere on your list, tryto find
time for a good night's sleep.
"We all have too much to
do, so be sure to derive the greatest benefit from your time
in bed," stated Andrea Herman, director of the Better Sleep
Council. "How well you sleep at night can make all the difference
in how productive and stress-free you'll be the next day, whether
you're scrubbing the bathrooms before houseguests arrive or rushing
to the grocery store to stock up."
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Like proper nutrition and exercise,
sleep is essential to feel your best. Because we all want to
stay healthy, it's important that we get the best night's sleep
possible every night.
To help ensure relaxing days
and sleep-filled nights, the Better Sleep Council offers the
following tips:
1) Give yourself "permission" to go to
bed. As hard as it may be to put away your "to do"
list, make sleep a priority. You'll thank yourself in the morning. |
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2)
Take care of yourself. Cut back on alcohol, caffeine and smoking,
all of which can make it more difficult to fall and stay asleep.
Regular exercise can help relieve tension and stress.
3) Unwind early in the evening. Finish chores and
run errands early in the evening so you can clear your mind and
relax before bedtime.
4) Keep regular hours. Go to bed around the same
time each night and wake up close to the same time each morning
to keep your biological clock in check.
5) Create a restful place to sleep. Be sure your
bedroom is cool, quiet and dark, and that you are sleeping on
a comfortable, supportive mattress and foundation. A bed that's
too small, too soft, too hard or too old can rob you of sleep. |
