How to Get to Sleep

There are a number of things that can get in the way of a good night’s rest: money troubles, car alarms, screaming babies. But if you are consistently not sleeping there are a number of things you can do to help you get some solid sleep.

1. Avoid caffeine at least 4 hours before you go to bed.

2. Give up drinking alcohol. Alcohol may help you get to sleep but in actuality it interferes with your ability to stay asleep.

3. Don’t exercise within 4 hours of going to bed.

4. Eat lighter meals in the evening and don’t drink water an hour before you go to bed.

5. Make your bedroom a serene place: incorporate soft lighting and do what you can to reduce noise.

6. Don’t put your television in your bedroom. That goes for bringing work to bed, too. Your bedroom should only be for sleep.

7. Keep a journal. This will give you a place to put your anxieties and worries so they don’t rumble around in your head causing you to toss and turn.

8. If you can’t fall asleep within 15 minutes of turning in, get up and leave the room. Go read a book or do some light stretching to distract yourself until you feel ready to sleep again.

9. Limit the time you are in bed to only the time you actually sleep. By sticking to a restricted sleep schedule you retrain your system to take advantage of sleep time.

10. Stop telling yourself you need 8 hours of sleep. You can survive on less than 8 hours and telling yourself this only puts pressure on yourself which can lead to trouble sleeping.

Still struggling? Cognitive behavioral therapy can help you overcome insomnia or sleeplessness. There are even online programs. Check out www.cbtforinsomnia.com