Having trouble sleeping? A lot of us do. When you don’t sleep enough, or sleep well, it ruins the next day. Yeah, you already know that don’t you. We’ve all had nights of tossing and turning and been miserable the next day.

Here is a list of things that might help, aside from taking Ambien, that makes me drowsy the entire next day. I hate it.

1. Chill out for a while before bedtime.
   Don’t work-out or do heavy physical or mental activities before you go to bed. Anything that stimulates your body or your brain before bedtime will make it much more difficult to get to sleep.
2. No bedtime caffeine!
   Definitely nothing that has caffeine in it for a few hours before bedtime. That includes coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, tobacco or chocolate.
3. Avoid bedtime snacks.
   Eating before you go to bed will raise your blood sugar level. When your blood sugar drops you will probably wake up and have trouble falling asleep again.
4. Sleep in a darkened room.
   Even a small amount of light can disrupt your sleep cycle. Make your bedroom as dark as possible when you are sleeping.
5. Peeing before sleeping
   This is one of my favs. You should make it a habit to go to the bathroom as the last thing you do before laying down, every night. Don’t you HATE having to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom!
6. Don’t turn on the lights
   If you do have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night don’t turn on the lights! That wakes you up more and reduces your ability to get back to sleep. Pee in the dark!
7. No TV / computer watching
   Do your TV and computing as far from bedtime as possible. This is again about brain stimulation. When the brain is stimulated it is more difficult to fall asleep.
8. Keep your feet warm
   This is another one of my favs. If my feet are cold I can’t go to sleep. Most of your body heat leaves through your feet and your head. That’s why we wear hats and socks in the winter.
9. No alcohol just before bedtime.
   Though it’s a common myth that alcohol can help you fall asleep, the drowsy effect is short lived. You won’t get into the deeper stages of sleep, where most of the healing takes place and you have a high chance of waking up just a few hours later.
10. Turn the clock away
    When we can’t sleep, most of us look at the clock and berate ourselves for not being asleep, at least I do. You can put a stop to this by simply turning the clock away.
11. Use your bed only for sex and sleep.
    Keep your bed for sleep and sex. If you are in the habit of using your bed for work, reading, television and phone calls, you will have a much harder time sleeping. You don’t generally associate your desk with sleep, don’t associate your bed with work.
12. No long naps
    I hate this one because I like an afternoon nap. When I haven’t slept well, I find myself sleepy about mid afternoon. I want to take a nap, but if I do I then can’t sleep again that night. Try to ward off the temptation to take a long nap. If you do take a nap, limit it to no more than 30 minutes. You can ward off the sleepiness with some sort of physical exercise. Take a walk if you can, it will help you revive until bedtime.
13. Don’t go to bed on an empty stomach
    I know, I already said don’t eat before bed, but don’t go to bed starving either. Avoid foods that have caffeine or high sugar levels. A glass of hot milk or a banana are natural sleep inducers. They will keep hunger pangs away and also help you sleep.

Bonus:

14. Get out in the sun soon after you wake up.
    Newborn infants sometimes get their nights and days mixed up - well so do we. Your biological clock will get all confused if your body doesn’t know if it’s day or night. Get out side and let yourself get some sunshine. The fresh air does you good as well.
15. Make sure your bed is comfortable
    Clean soft sheets, warm, cozy bed and good pillows. You know the drill. A comfortable bed is a bed that will help you sleep.

Have you got any secrets to a better night’s sleep? Feel free to add your ideas and suggestions!

Header credit: Everyone Lies