At the end of a long day the best feeling is sitting back, relaxing and drifting off into a deep sleep. However, what if you can’t fall asleep right away or at all? Or what if you wake up constantly throughout the night, or wa up exhausted? This is often due to sleep apnea, which can get in the way of a good night’s rest. To help you take appropriate steps toward a better night’s sleep, here are three simple tips for you to follow.
Use the bedroom only for sleep
It is important to remember that your bedroom is for sleep and that is what it should be used for. The more you use your bedroom for daily activities, the harder it will be to fall asleep each night. Use your bedroom only for sleeping and sexual activity. This means you should avoid reading, watching TV, eating and talking on the phone in your bed.
You should also avoid lying awake thinking in bed. Do your problem solving elsewhere. And when you go to sleep, cover your clock or place it somewhere you cannot see it. Looking at the clock when you can’t fall asleep or have awakened and can’t get back to sleep will only worsen the problem.
2. Remember to exercise daily
Regular daily exercise may help to deepen your sleep. However, though, if you exercise too close to bedtime, you might disturb your sleep. Try to finish exercising at least three hours before bedtime or in the morning before you start your day. By exercising daily, you can burn more calories, which means you might get hungry frequently. To combat this hunger, eat a snack. If you go to bed hungry, it can ultimately prevent you from falling asleep. A light snack at bedtime might help you sleep better, but avoid big meals before bed. Your stomach and intestinal activity slow down at night and food is not digest well during sleep.
3. Don’t smoke or drink
Alcohol might help some people fall asleep at the start of the night, but that sleep will become fragmented. This means you won’t feel well rested. Occasional social use of alcohol in moderate amounts is fine for most people, but regular use or large quantities of drinking may be a significant problem for sleep. Additionally, tobacco of any kind disrupts sleep, so avoid it at all costs.
Are you ready to take charge of your sleep patterns in order to help you wake up feeling refreshed? Follow these tips or contact Dr. Sara at AZ Sleep & TMJ Solutions in North Scottsdale for more information.