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Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

Night Sleep tips for those who want good sleep

Stick to a sleep schedule:

Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. As creatures of habit, people have a hard time adjusting to changes in sleep patterns. Sleeping later on weekends won’t fully make up for a lack of sleep during the week and will make it harder to wake up early on Monday morning.

Exercise is great, but not too late in the day:

Try to exercise at least 30 minutes on most days but not later than 2–3 hours before your bedtime.

Avoid caffeine and nicotine:

Coffee, colas, certain teas, and chocolate contain the stimulant caffeine, and its effects can take as long as 8 hours to wear off fully.  Therefore, a cup of coffee in the late afternoon can make it hard for you to fall asleep at night.  Nicotine is also a stimulant, often causing smokers to sleep only very lightly.  In addition, smokers often wake up too early in the morning because of nicotine withdrawal.

Avoid alcoholic drinks before bed:  

Having a “nightcap” or alcoholic beverage before sleep may help you relax, but heavy use robs you of deep sleep and REM sleep, keeping you in the lighter stages of sleep. Heavy alcohol ingestion also may contribute to impairment in breathing at night.  You also tend to wake up in the middle of the night when the effects of the alcohol have worn off.

Avoid large meals and beverages late at night: 

A light snack is okay, but a large meal can cause indigestion that interferes with sleep. Drinking too many fluids at night can cause frequent awakenings to urinate.

If possible, avoid medicines that delay or disrupt your sleep:

Some commonly prescribed heart, blood pressure, or asthma medications, as well as some over-the-counter and herbal remedies for coughs, colds, or allergies, can disrupt sleep patterns.  If you have trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor or pharmacist to see whether any drugs you’re taking might be contributing to your insomnia and ask whether they can be taken at other times during the day or early in the evening.

Don’t take naps after 3 p.m:

Naps can help make up for lost sleep, but late afternoon naps can make it harder to fall asleep at night.

Relax before bed:

Don’t over schedule your day so that no time is left for unwinding.  A relaxing activity, such as reading or listening to music, should be part of your bedtime ritual.

Take a hot bath before bed:

The drop in body temperature after getting out of the bath may help you feel sleepy, and the bath can help you relax and slow down so you’re more ready to sleep.

Have a good sleeping environment: 

Get rid of anything in your bedroom that might distract you from sleep, such as noises, bright lights, an uncomfortable bed, or warm temperatures.  You sleep better if the temperature in the room is kept on the cool side. A TV, cell phone, or computer in the bedroom can be a distraction and deprive you of needed sleep. Having a comfortable mattress and pillow can help promote a good night’s sleep. Individuals who have insomnia often watch the clock.  Turn the clock’s face out of view so you don’t worry about the time while trying to fall asleep.

Have the right sunlight exposure:

Daylight is key to regulating daily sleep patterns.  Try to get outside in natural sunlight for at least 30 minutes each day.  If possible, wake up with the sun or use very bright lights in the morning.  Sleep experts recommend that, if you have problems falling asleep, you should get an hour of exposure to morning sunlight and turn down the lights before bedtime.

Don’t lie in bed awake:

If you find yourself still awake after staying in bed for more than 20 minutes or if you are starting to feel anxious or worried, get up and do some relaxing activity until you feel sleepy. The anxiety of not being able to sleep can make it harder to fall asleep.

See a doctor if you continue to have trouble sleeping:

If you consistently find it difficult to fall or stay asleep and/ or feel tired or not well rested during the day despite spending enough time in bed at night, you may have a sleep disorder. Your family doctor or a sleep specialist should be able to help you, and it is important to rule out other health or psychiatric problems that may be disturbing your sleep.

Common Signs of a Sleep disorder

Sleeping disorder problems sign

Look over this list of common signs of a sleep disorder, and talk to your doctor if you have any of them on three or more nights a week:

It takes you more than 30 minutes to fall asleep at night.

You awaken frequently in the night and then have trouble falling back to sleep again.

You awaken too early in the morning.

You often don’t feel well rested despite spending 7–8 hours or more asleep at night.

You feel sleepy during the day and fall asleep within 5 minutes if you have an opportunity to nap, or you fall asleep unexpectedly or at inappropriate times during the day.

Your bed partner claims you snore loudly, snort, gasp, or Make choking sounds while you sleep, or your partner notices that your breathing stops for short periods.

You have creeping, tingling, or crawling feelings in your legs that are relieved by moving or massaging them, especially in the evening and when you try to fall asleep.

You have vivid, dreamlike experiences while falling asleep or dozing.

You have episodes of sudden muscle weakness when you are angry or fearful, or when you laugh.

You feel as though you cannot move when you first wake up.

Your bed partner notes that your legs or arms jerk often during sleep.

You regularly need to use stimulants to stay awake during the day.

Also keep in mind that, although children can show some of these signs of a sleep disorder, they often do not show signs of excessive daytime sleepiness. Instead, they may seem overactive and have difficulty focusing and concentrating. They also may not do their best in school.

Nutritional Guidelines for elders

Nutritional help to elders with best tips

Eating right is a fundamental part of overall wellness. National guidelines recommend eating natural foods, focusing your diet on fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Focus on eating a well-balanced diet that focuses on eating more natural food. In addition, seniors should consume fewer calories because of lower caloric output and slower metabolism, and more antioxidants to fight off age-related disease. A healthy diet should now include: protein, carbohydrates, fiber, fats and fluids.

Protein:

Helps maintain and repair muscles, nails and skin. It is also an important nutrient in recovery from injuries. You can get protein from poultry, meat, fish, lentils, nuts, seeds, eggs and cheese. You can also get it from dark green vegetables.

Carbohydrates:

Help internal organs function properly and help maintain energy levels. You can get carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy products and whole grains.

Fiber:

Helps maintain the dietary track, and is proven to lower blood pressure, cholesterol and maintain blood sugar. You can get fiber from whole grain products, fruits, vegetables and beans.

Healthy Fats:

Healthy fats help maintain energy levels and protect cells. Healthy fats can be found in some fish, oils, nuts, and food fortified with omega-3 fatty acids.

Fluids:

Staying hydrated is the only way the rest of the nutrients can do their jobs. Fluids also help maintain a proper body temperature. Water is the best fluid for your body, but you can also get nutrients and antioxidants from green tea and fruit/vegetable juices.