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Five Steps To Say Good Night And Really Mean It

By Saikat ⋅ July 15, 2008 ⋅  Email This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Living is a disease from which sleep gives us relief eight hours a day.
~ Chamort

Sleep. A wonderful five letter word which takes us from reality to dreams. But for some of caught in a hectic lifestyle, sleep could be a stress buster or a stressor. Research has indicated that 6 to 7.5 hours of restful sleep is sufficient to recharge our batteries for the coming day. Do all us of get it? Sometimes, even a simple activity such as sleep is difficult to come by without the aid of a pill. Don’t take a walk to the pharmacy just yet. Try these simple tips…and maybe tomorrow could be a ‘good morning’.

Timing helps…
Our body loves schedules. Our body clock runs like ‘clock work’ when it is tuned with proper sleep. So, aim to get up at the same time every day. Of course, you could slack up during the weekends but even then allow yourself only and hour of somnolence…not more. Whether it’s a full day of work or a day for bohemian pleasures, wake up and get out of bed at the same time.

So does food. The right kind…
At night eat foods that contain melatonin and the amino acid tryptophan. Melatonin helps to regulate our body clocks. That means oats, sweet corn or rice. Or try a complex carbohydrate like vegetables or whole grain pasta. Complex carbs contain sleep inducing serotonin. Protein rich foods are sleep killers. Proteinaceous food contains the amino acid tyrosine which stimulates brain activity and your brain also needs to go to sleep with you. And of course, you can never go wrong with glass of warm milk.

And the environment…
Set the temperature. The comfortable zone for a restful night’s sleep is a ventilated cool and dark room. If you are having trouble with the heat, try removing a layer of clothing or lowering the temperature artificially using a cooler, air conditioner or a simple fan.

But not our bad habits…
Avoid caffeinated products like colas, tea and of course - coffee. When you lie awake after a nip from your favorite beverage, think about this fact - Caffeine causes sleep problems even ten to twelve hours after drinking it. The same rule of abstinence holds true for alcohol and cigarettes.

Neither does late exercise…
Avoid exercise at late hours. But do it at least for 20 to 30 minutes during the day. A nice evening walk or a jog in the morning could be what your body wanted all along.

Their is some truth in the adage ‘beauty sleep’ after all. Did you know that just six to seven hours of sleep by the clock everyday can really make you feel as much as three years younger? I bet you didn’t…but do think about it when you hit the sack tonight. Have a good night.

Tags: insomnia, sleep