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How to Sleep Better
If you've already figured out how to fall asleep, but you're having trouble getting
good sleep through the night (i.e. tossing, turning, waking up more than once), this
article will tell you what you can do to ensure a peaceful night's slumber.
1. Get on schedule. Varying your sleeping times by more than an hour can severely
disrupt your sleep quality by "advancing the sleep phase". For example, let's say you
normally wake up at 7 a.m. on weekdays to get to work, so you get to bed around 11 p.m.
because that's when you start to feel sleepy, and it's also a good time to ensure 8 hours of sleep.
If on the weekend you sleep in until 9 a.m., you probably won't be able to fall
asleep that night until 1 a.m. Then, you probably won't want to wake up the next morning
until 10 a.m., in which case it will start getting very difficult to fall asleep at
11 p.m. again. In other words, your body thrives on running on a routine; erratic sleeping
sessions will interfere with your internal "biological clock."
2. Sleep on an empty stomach. Wait at least three hours after dinner before going to sleep.
Digestion doesn't work well while asleep (your body is basically paralyzed), and a full
stomach may interrupt sleep. Do not eat red meats and heavy foods after 6 p.m. Switch to
decaf coffee and avoid tea, cocoa and cola drinks, because caffeine can keep you awake even
if you drank it earlier in the day.
Avoid tobacco products in evenings as well. While alcohol will make you feel sleepy,
it will reduce sleep quality. If you find your stomach grumbling for contents and keeping
you awake, have a light snack about an hour before bedtime. Stick to milk, turkey and
peanuts, which all contain chemicals that help the brain relax.
3. Keep the room dark. Exposure to light during the time you're supposed to be sleeping
can disrupt your body's internal cycles. This has been documented in studies surrounding
circadian rhythms. Turn your light off, or use a very dim night light. Pull curtains across,
blinds down or shut the shutters, to prevent outdoor lights from shining on you. If you
wake up and see any kind of bright light, you'll have a much harder time falling back asleep.
Try to eliminate all sources of light, including from windows, LED clocks and cable boxes,
by covering them with heavy paper or cloth covers.
4. Change your sleeping position. You might be thinking that it's impossible to control
what position you sleep in since, well, you're not conscious while you sleep, but it is
do-able and can make a big difference. When you go to sleep, or when you wake up in the
middle of the night, make a conscious effort to follow these guidelines until it becomes habitual:
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 Keep your body in
a "midline" position, where both your head and neck are kept roughly straight. Don't use a
flat pillow that causes your head to tilt down towards the mattress. Likewise, don't stack
your pillows so that your head is propped at an angle.
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