Five secrets to a good night's sleep
Studies have shown that there are a number of people who suffer from disturbed sleep. Lack of good sleep can usher in a gamut of problems, besides causing tiredness throughout the day. Poor sleep is often the culprit behind several traffic accidents, poor performances, and diseases. Lack of concentration and a sense of lethargy are the commonest effects of inadequate sleep. In order to have a healthy mind and body, an uninterrupted sleep of six to eight hours is a must, depending upon the routine and requirements of an individual.
These days, more and more people are approaching their doctors and popping in sleeping pills to sleep well. While this may be required in some cases, this trend is not worth encouraging otherwise, as these sedatives themselves are capable of getting you hooked onto them, besides giving rise to various side-effects. Cultivating some good habits instead makes more sense and can help you be in control of at least your sleep, if not dreams.
Where you sleep, when you sleep, how you sleep, what you sleep on, and with whom you sleep together makes a hell lot of a difference when it comes to sleeping like a baby. Take these five factors into consideration and you will be on your way to sweet slumber. Your bedroom needs to be comfortable and inviting. You need to set its temperature as per your liking. While you may want pin drop silence, there are some who would love to hear a melodious number playing softly in the background. Again, whilst most enjoy sleeping in pitch darkness, there are a few who need a night lamp switched on for emotional support. Suit yourself!
Your bed should tempt you into crashing in. The consistency of your bed, the texture of your bedsheets and pillowcases, and the fillings of your pillows whether cotton, sponge, foam, fiber, or feathers, are all a matter of personal choice. So, go ahead and indulge yourself. If you are the oversensitive sort and don't have a room exclusively for yourself, you don't need to lose heart. You can always patch your eyes or plug your ears to keep out light and noise.
Never have a heavy meal just before going to bed. Believe it or not but your own digestion process may keep you awake for a long time. Avoid eating fatty and spicy foods at bedtime as they interfere with sleep. On the other hand, certain foods like bread, cereals, and milk can soothe your tummy and induce good sleep by triggering the hormone serotonin, which is known to make us feel sleepy. Caffeinated drinks and foods such as tea, coffee, colas, and chocolate must be avoided. Alcohol may help you in falling asleep; but remember, you're bound to get addicted if you make it a regular feature.
Exercising regularly, a few hours before you hit the bed, is probably the best way to sleep soundly every night. Studies have found that individuals with physically strenuous jobs have lesser sleeping problems as compared to those in sedentary jobs. Exercise not only stimulates the overall circulation of blood in the body but also improves the oxygenation of tissues. It is not advisable to work out before going to bed as this will, on the contrary, leave you wide awake and active.
If you sleep next to a person who snores loudly or tosses about in bed, you can be sure that you will find it difficult to fall asleep or will wake up intermittently. In such cases, you might as well change your room or sleep on another bed. If your spouse smells bad or suffers from bad breath, coax him or her to take a bath and brush before sleeping every night. Indulging in good sex first arouses and then, after the orgasm, leads to complete relaxation, both physically as well as mentally. Never get into quarrels or arguements at bedtime as this will keep you disturbed all night.
Following a routine works like magic. Make it a point to sleep and wake up at scheduled times every day. It's perfectly fine to seem a bit ritualistic, although you should never let it become an obsession. You can probably watch your favorite televison serial during dinner, follow it up with a bath or a wash, then possibly read your fond author's novel; and lastly with tired eyes jump into bed, saying a nice prayer to God, in pleasant anticipation of sweet dreams.
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