Thursday, April 4, 2019

Do you have problems sleeping? Sawing wood at night? Tossing and turning. Perhaps some of these tips and ideas can help.

• Consider using a white noise machines and phone apps. White noise is similar to static or a waterfall going on in the background. Pink noise is slightly higher pitched at the high end and lower at the low frequencies like a rainfall or fan. Brown noise is even higher pitched at high frequencies and deeper at low end than pink noise like a wave surf in a storm. These can be soothing or you can use apps to produce rain-forest noises or there are sleep apps that will figure out your optimal sleep cycle. A lot of places recommend at least 8 hours and going to 8 hours before you rise.
• Weighted blankets are helpful to some cause they can be warm and soothing for some.
• A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is a common used as therapy and treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. Consider using that if you have problems with breathing and waking up feeling groggy still. Our site is not intended to diagnose or treat symptoms, so check with a doctor of course.
• Some people make take melatonin and may want to check with a doctor first.
• Sometimes when you eat before you go to bed it can not only give you stomach pain and restlessness, not to mention weird dreams as well. So consider trying to eat earlier, not late at night.
• It is a good idea also to spend time outdoors every day so you can soak up natural sunlight. Some people need the natural sun’s rays to feel better and there’s sunlamps and sunshine therapy to make sure your body is following its circadian rhythm and possibly also getting proper vitamin D.
• Although exercise is good for you, you might wast to consider getting in your exercise early in the day so you aren’t all pumped and excited and wide awake right before bed.
• Try having a quiet dark room with cooler or appropriate temperatures. There are black-out curtains you can buy or multiple layered curtains you can install on your window in your bedroom to ensure total darkness. Back years before the invention of electricity people got up when it was light and went to bed when it was dark usually unless there were lamps and candles so you might want to consider keeping your bedroom as dark as possible when sleeping and pull the curtains open during the day for maximum sunlight.
• This one is a popular one: get a hot bath/shower before bed. Not only is it invigorating and relaxing but as your body temperature drops you’ll start feeling cooler and likely in a better mood for sleep.
• If you remember the college lecture days sometimes a little reading can be either relaxing or too relaxing and put you to sleep before bed.
• Maintain the same schedule of sleep regardless of whether it is a workday or weekend. That way you don’t get out of sync.
• Consider turning off the TV or cellphone or “blue light” devices which can prevent sleep as light signals a part of the body to be awake.
• Don’t drink caffeine, coffee, tea, or energy drinks before bed, probably common sense but still.
• Try to get 8 hours each night. Some people can operate on less but you have to try what works best.
• Also consider changing positions, pillows, bedding and the type of clothing you sleep in. It may affect how comfortable you are or the temperature you sleep in.

These are just a few tips. Got more tips for better sleep? Comment below.