Daylight Savings is a mixed blessing in the spring - we lose an hour of sleep, but it stays light longer. If you're like me, I look forward to December 21st each year because I know the days will start getting longer after that. Darkness at 4:30 pm is so claustrophobic!
With Daylight Savings coming this weekend, don't let your sleep suffer - even for an hour! I try to turn our clocks ahead early on Saturday evening so we are operating on the new time before we go to bed. That way we won't be fooled into losing an hour's sleep. Who cares, you say?
Sleep is one of the most important ingredients to functioning well. If anything suffers in my life, I try not to make it my sleep! I just can't function well without it. Sleep deprivation has adverse effects on our driving, blood pressure, heart, weight, decision-making, temper, and moods! So here are some tips for sleeping well:
1. Sleep in the quietest and least busy part of your house. If you sleep in a high-traffic area of your home, you'll be woken up by it.
2. Don't have computers or TVs in your bedroom. They produce "electromagnetic fields and positive ions that induce agitation," according to Dr. Mao.
3. Light keeps you awake, so start dimming the lights 30 minutes before bedtime and don't sleep with lights on. If you take melatonin, make sure all the lights are off when you take it to make it work faster. Use darkening shades/blinds or a mask.
4. Don't exercise for at least two hours before bedtime, as exercise is a stimulant. But do exercise. Exercise helps get rid of tensions and excess energy, and allows you to relax for sleep.
5. Try drinking some chamomile tea before bedtime - a natural sleep inducer.
6. Don't sleep with your pets. Their ups and downs during the night prevent a continuous night's sleep.
7. Keep pen and paper by your bed. If something pops into your mind, you can write it down so it doesn't impede your sleep. Or journal before bedtime as a way to process your day, rather than when you lie down to sleep.
8. Listen to your body - if you are tired and sleepy, go to bed if at all possible! Your body keeps track of the sleep you have lost and you may need to catch up.
9. Have a regular waking time. When you have a regular routine, your body will tell you when it needs sleep. Each person is different. I need about 6 1/2 to 7 hours of sleep each night while my husband functions best on 9.
10. If you are sleep deprived, take a nap. You can tell you are sleep deprived if you tend to fall asleep when you are sitting quietly.
How do you insure a good night's sleep for yourself, your family? If you receive this blog via email and would like to comment, use this link.
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