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If you've ever found yourself struggling through your mornings, groggy and unfocused, you're not alone. According to the National Sleep Foundation, more than half of adults have experienced the frustration of insomnia.
Sleepless nights are more than a matter of frustration. Having a hard time falling asleep eventually can lead to depression, health problems and even lead to accidents. Stress at work and stress over financial problems top the list of most polls about why people toss and turn instead of getting a good night's sleep. But you can break the cycle of sleepless nights, and wake up feeling rested and alert to make your days the best yet!
8 Ways to Get a Good Night's Sleep
1. Stop worrying. Worrying over losing sleep only adds to the accumulated stress from work, family problems or finances that is keeping you awake in the first place. Short-term insomnia lasts from a few nights to a few weeks, and there are pro-active steps you can take to get a better night's sleep. So stop worrying! If you still have insomnia after a month, then call a doctor.
2. Don't exercise within two hours before bedtime. Exercising immediately before bedtime, or even two hours before, can thwart your efforts to relax. You want your energy levels to be down, not up, so create a no-exercise zone in those hours before you want to fall asleep.
3. Avoid stimulants. Avoid caffeine after noon, and avoid alcohol and smoking, especially before bedtime. Instead, try a soothing cup of non-caffeinated tea. Chamomile tea is a favorite. Look for other calming teas that contain herbs such as passion flower, skullcap or valerian.
4. Create a Sleep Comfort Zone. Your Sleep Comfort Zone should be cool Studies suggest the optimum temperature for falling asleep and sleeping comfortably is about 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Make your Comfort Zone dark and quiet, turning off all electronics. If you have a bedside clock that you can hear ticking, buy another clock. Don't work, eat, watch television or read in bed.
5. Drink fewer liquids at night. You don't want to wake up in the middle of a restful sleep for a trip to the bathroom. Make that one cup of hot tea instead of two cups. Or switch to a half a cup of water instead of a glass of water before bedtime.
6. Sleep only at bedtime. Taking long naps in the afternoon after sleepless nights will only disrupt your goal to achieve a normal sleep cycle. Stop yourself from the urge to nap, and you'll look forward to a more restful sleep at night.
7. Make the bedroom a No Worry Zone. Don't save your worries for bed. Mentally create a time of the day to focus on your worries, and think about or write down your worries in another room of the house at that time. Visualize your bedroom as a No Worry Zone. Write this new rule on a piece of paper and place it on your nightstand to remind you. Before you go to bed, say out loud: I will think about my problems tomorrow.
8. Divert yourself. If you can't fall asleep after 15 minutes, leave the bedroom and do something relaxing. Take a bath, read a few pages of a book or do some gentle stretching exercises. Instead of tossing and turning because you can't fall asleep, you are diverting your attention to a pleasant, relaxing activity. After 20 or 30 minutes, go back to the bedroom. If it doesn't work, repeat this exercise.
Ruth Klein is an award-winning business owner, best-selling author and marketing and time management consultant whose clients range from solo entrepreneurs to the Fortune 500. To learn more about how to better manage your time, visit Ruth Klein's catalogue of newsletters, books and seminars at http://www.ruthklein.com .
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