Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

Dear Sleepy, 

You’re not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly one in three Americans don’t get the recommended amount of sleep each night. Whether it’s occasional insomnia or chronic sleeplessness, the inability to fall or stay asleep can produce a variety of negative outcomes to our health and well-being so you’re wise to nip your sleep issues in the bud.  

Here are a few tips from the Mayo Clinic (comments are mine) that you’ve probably heard before but bear repeating:  

* Stick to a sleep schedule - even on the weekend. If you have small children, teens, or do shift work, I recognize that your sleep schedule is not always under your control. However, you do have a say as to whether or not you stay up to binge-watch your new favorite show. Make good decisions this year! 

* Pay attention to what you eat and drink. Alcohol may make you feel sleepy at first but, be careful, it can disrupt your sleep later. We all know the effects of too much caffeine close to bedtime. I cut my tea drinking off by 3:00. Beware of going to bed too full or hungry. If I feel hungry before bed, I usually have a spoonful of peanut butter. It works for me! 

* Create a restful, pleasant environment for sleeping. If stacks of work (files, unfolded laundry, bills) are within view from your bed, move them. If possible, keep your work world outside of your bedroom. Room darkening shades, sleep machines, or a slow fan may be helpful. If there’s noise close by, try earplugs. Keep your bedroom cool and clutter-free.  

* Limit daytime naps. Although naps are beneficial for some - Winston Churchill, Salvador Dali, Leonardo da Vinci, and Margaret Thatcherto name a few - a nap for more than one hour or later in the day can sabotage a good night’s sleep.  

* Exercise! Physical activity can promote better sleep. However, be careful about exercising close to bedtime. Also, spending time outdoors (walking, gardening, birdwatching) may be helpful.  

* Manage your worries/stress. Try writing your troubling thoughts in a journal to get them out of your head. Also, stay as organized as possible, set priorities, talk with a coach or other professional about unresolved conflict or other significant issues, and learn meditation.  

* Contact your health care provider. If sleeplessness becomes chronic and/or debilitating, seek professional help before it hurts your immune system, raises your risk of heart disease, causes you to gain weight, or increases your risk of diabetes.  

If this list seems overwhelming, start at the top and work your way down. Look at different aspects of your life and see what changes you can make to help you improve your sleep. Fostering good sleep takes discipline just like every other worthwhile thing in your life. You’ve already said it’s your top priority, now it’s time to prove it. Sleep tight and don’t let the bedbugs (kidding) bite!!