Hints For a Better Night's Sleep

In general . . .

No daytime naps.
Exercise daily. Finish your routine at least 4 hours before bedtime.
Avoid caffeine, alcohol and smoking.
Keep a sleep diary for one to two weeks.

Stress reduction . . .

Schedule "worry time" in the afternoon to keep from worrying at night.
Learn relaxation techniques.
Consider counseling for feelings of sadness or anxiety.

Bedroom environment . . .

Keep your bedroom cool, dark and quiet.
Remove clocks, food, books, TV, bills, paper and other disturbances from the bedroom.

Bedroom routine . . .

Begin "winding down" and refrain from chores at least two hours before bedtime.
Develop a bedtime routine with a quiet activity, warm bath and a light bedtime snack every night.

Sleep guidelines . . .

Get up the same time every day regardless of when you fall asleep.
Upon first lying down, if you can't sleep after 15 minutes in bed, get up and read quietly in a chair. When you feel sleepy, return to bed.
If you awaken at night, relax and try to fall asleep. Do not look at the clock. If you can't sleep after 15 minutes, get up and read quietly until you feel sleepy, then return to bed.

Sleep restriction . . .
This new anti-insomnia treatment is based on the finding that many insomniacs spend excessive amounts of time in bed hoping to make up for lost sleep.

The strategy:
Initially, you go to bed much later than usual and stay in bed only as long as you actually sleep, even if that's only 3 or 4 hours.

You get up at the same time each morning.

Once you sleep at least 90% of your time in bed for five days in a row, you may go to bed 15 minutes earlier.

After a week or two on the curtailed sleep schedule, you should start to sleep better. After a few months, you should be sleeping as long as you like.

While this technique can be self-employed, it is generally more easily accomplished under the supervision of a sleep specialist.

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