Do you often wake up before your alarm? Lots of things can rob you of precious sleep.
Follow these daytime tips to make your nights more restful.
1. Ease Stress and Worry
"A revved-up mind remains in a mild state of alertness even while you sleep, making you susceptible to nighttime awakenings,
" says Michael Breus, PhD, author of Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health.
• Meditate.
• Do some light stretching.
• Read (but not on an electronic device, because the light can make it hard to get sleepy).
• You can write in a "worry journal." You may ease stress if you jot down your concerns or tomorrow's action items before calling it a night.
• Count backward from 0 to 300.
2. Update Your Bed
A pain can disrupt your sleep. If an achy back or hip routinely wakes you up, it's time to make some changes to your bed.
Get a new mattress. It loses support with age and use. We recommend buying a new one at least every 7 years. Research suggests a more
flexible mattress eases back pain better than an ultra-firm. Swap out your pillows. Do this once a year. Choose a thick one if you're a side sleeper, etc.
3. Get the Temperature Just Right
"The sweet spot for sleep seems to be somewhere between 20 and 23.5 degrees,” says Tracey Marks, MD,
author of Master Your Sleep: Proven Methods Simplified. Also, spicy or acidic foods, alcohol, and caffeinated drinks can
rev you up and make you sweat more in the middle of the night. Avoid eating or drinking them too close to bedtime.
4. Turn Off Electronics Devices
If it lights up and sound, it disrupts sleep. That includes smartphones, tablets, computers,
and other gadgets. For a better night's rest, keep them out of the bedroom.
