Top 10 Habits For Good Sleep!
By Dr.Panchajanya Paul, MD, FAPA & Dr. Ajay Singh, MD, MS
Many of us struggle with sleep. The problems can be many. Some struggle to
fall asleep at night, some to maintain sleep throughout the night, and some
from too early waking. Whatever the nature of the problem, sleep deprivation
weakens the mind and body, and makes us vulnerable to various mental and
physical diseases. Here is a list of ten ways to get good sleep every night.
1. Schedule Sleep: Maintain a consistent bed-time routine. Go to bed at the
same time every night. Try to keep it the same on weekends in order to keep
body's clock tuned.
2. Exercise daily: Try to get some exercise during the day; as little as 20
minutes can help. Aerobics, lifting weights, power yoga, walking- any form
of physical exertion will help. However, avoid heavy exercise 2 hours before
sleep as the increased arousal from exercise might make sleep difficult.
3. Avoid alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine before bedtime. Alcohol helps to
sleep in short term, but robs the brain of deep restorative sleep in long
term. Caffeine is present in tea, coffee, and soda. Nicotine is present in
cigarettes. Both caffeine and nicotine are brain stimulants, which makes one
more alert and awake, while making it difficult to fall asleep.
4. Relax before Sleep: Do something relaxing before bed time like taking a
warm bath, reading, or listening to music. Mindfulness exercises can also
help.
5. Light Exposure during day. Try to get exposure to sunlight or any full
spectrum bright light in the morning. Exposure to light during the day and
darkness before bed, will entrain your circadian rhythm to the daily
light-dark cycle. This will help you stay alert and active during day, while
being tired and sleepy at night.
6. Don't eat before going to bed. Have your dinner at least two hours before
sleep time. Avoid food just before bedtime, and never have your food on bed.
A heavy meal before bedtime is difficult to digest, and will also impair
sleep. Also avoid too spicy or sugary food before bed. Food rich in
tryptophan like nuts, cheese, oats, beans, lentils, eggs, fish, chicken,
turkey can boost sleep.
7. Don't check emails or work on your laptop just before bed. The mind needs
to relax and any activation will impair sleep. Avoid TV, Computer, or bright
light before sleep as they inhibit the sleep inducing hormone –melatonin.
8. Keep your bedroom quiet, cold, and dark at night. Adjust your thermostat
to a lower temperature between 60 to 67 degrees. Use thick curtains to block
light and white-noise to block sound.
9. The bed should be used for sleep, sex, and some light-reading. Avoiding
other activates at bed will help the body associate the bed with sleep.
10. Write your worries before sleep. Many people bring their worries to bed
and can't stop thinking about them. Keep a journal at bedside to write down
troubling thoughts before going to bed. This will stop the repeated cycle of
worrying and enable sleep.
Sleep is vital to life. Seek professional help if you struggle with sleep
chronically and experience daytime fatigue. Many of the sleep problems can
be resolved with the help of medications and therapy like Cognitive
behavioral therapy for Insomnia. In the end, don't neglect any sleep
problems, and make every effort to get good sleep for your health and
wellbeing.
Dr. Panchajanya Paul, MD, ABIHM, ABPN, is an American Board certified - Child,
Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatrist. He is a diplomate of the American Board of
Integrative and Holistic Medicine. He holds adjunct faculty position at Emory
University School of Medicine; University of Georgia & Georgia Regents
University, and University of Central Florida School of Medicine. He is a fellow
of the American Psychiatric Association. He is a freelance writer who lives in
Atlanta.
Dr. Ajay Singh, MD, MS is a board certified child, adoloscent & adult psychiatrist who practices near Sacramanto, California. He is the medical Director of mental health facility, with over 20 years of experience.