Ever wonder why kids love to hear the same books read to
them or the same songs sung every night? The comfort of the familiar can ease
tension from your body and your mind and help prepare you for sleep. Develop a
routine that your mind and body will start to recognize as a pre-sleep ritual.
Read a small amount from a favorite book. Drink a little chamomile tea or warm
milk or take a quick dip in a warm bath. Keep a journal by your bed to jot down
your thoughts from the day, especially anything you’re worrying about or trying
to remember so you can clear your mind for sleep. Use this same routine every
night to prepare yourself for sleep. If possible, try to go to bed around the
same time every night and wake at the same time every morning to program your
inner clock. Also, anything that might disrupt your body’s natural rhythms
(such as caffeine, alcohol, exercise, and nicotine) should be avoided for a few
hours before bedtime.
The Sound of Silence
The neighbor’s dog is barking again. Was that a fire truck
that just went by? I can’t believe that faucet is still dripping! If you’re
kept awake by every minor sound, consider bringing a source of white noise into
your bedroom. While white noise machines are available, a simpler (and cheaper)
solution might be turning on the exhaust fan in your bathroom or placing a
small fan in the corner of your room. Other appliances, like humidifiers and
air purifiers, can pull double duty by improving the quality of your air and
providing soothing white noise to help you drift off to sleep.
Watch the Thermostat
The body is unable to regulate its temperature during sleep,
so extremes of hot or cold will often wake a person up. Make sure your bedroom
is a comfortable temperature before hitting the sack to ensure a full night of
rest. Experiment with temperatures to find the optimum sleeping temp for you.