How Can I Change My Sleeping Habits?

An adjustment in your sleeping habits increases energy and alertness.

Whether you've slipped into bad sleeping habits or want to improve the quality of your sleep, the key to changing your nighttime routine is through consistent practice of new habits. Oftentimes it's easy to want to stay up late and sleep in, but these little indulgences disrupt your sleep schedule and throws off your body's natural winding down process. In addition to maintaining your bedtime, dietary modification is also essential to changing your sleeping habits as your body is sensitive to some foods and beverages consumed shortly before bed.

Things You'll Need

• Light-blocking curtains
• Eye mask

Instructions

1. Go to bed at the same time every night. The weekends may seem like the ideal time to stay up late, but staying up late for two days out of the week throws off your body's natural sleep schedule. Set a reminder two to three hours before your bedtime to start preparing for bed to maintain your schedule.

2. Cut off your caffeine consumption after 5:00 p.m. Soda, coffee and caffeinated tea takes up to eight hours to pass through your body and can cause sleep disruptions. Switch to caffeine-free soda or caffeine-free tea to avoid the evening jitters before bedtime.

3. Block out light from the bedroom. Light, whether it's from a digital clock, mobile phone, or sunlight, tells your body it's time to wake up. Heavy curtains or blinds reduce the amount of light that comes into your bedroom, and allows uninterrupted sleep. Put your phone on silent if you tend to receive late night calls and text messages to prevent sleep disruptions.

4. Refrain from using your bedroom for activities outside of sleeping and sex. A home office in your bedroom changes your association with the room, and can cause you to think about work rather than relaxation.

5. Practice deep breathing. Slowly inhale and exhale deeply through your nose to induce relaxation, which leads to stress relief and eventually sleep. Keep your eyes closed during this process to aid in falling asleep. Wear an eye mask if you are unable to block out all sunlight with curtains or blinds.

References

• HelpGuide: How to Sleep Better - Tips for Getting a Good Night's Sleep