Tired of not sleeping?
Unhealthy habits and poor lifestyle choices can deprive you of the benefits of a good night’s sleep. Here are some tips to help you sleep better.
Daytime habits for a better sleep at night
- Keep in sync with your body's natural sleep-wake rhythm
- Stay physically and socially active during the day
- Follow a structured routine
1) Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day (try not to vary time by > 30 minutes). This will help set your body’s internal clock.
2. Avoid sleeping in: It is okay to catch up on sleep by sleeping 30-60 minutes later on week-ends, but more than this will lead to social jet lag similar to when you travel across time zones.
3. Avoid late napping: A short power nap during the day can help reduce fatigue, but longer naps (>30 minutes) later in the day (after 3pm) may affect your ability to fall asleep at night.
4. Fight after dinner drowsiness: People are tired and may fall asleep on the couch after dinner. If this happens, get up and move around or do light work to avoid falling asleep.
Keep in sync with your body's natural sleep-wake rhythm
5. Sunlight and sleep: Today most of our work is indoors and very little time is spent outdoors.
Natural sunlight will help improve alertness and set your clock, so that you sleep better at night. Have your morning coffee outside, do outdoor gardening, walk to work and keep your windows open
Stay physically and socially active during the day
1. Vigorous exercise will produce deeper and more restful sleep, but even light exercise like walking 20 minutes a day will show benefit. (link to physical activity and exercise guidelines)
2. Be patient. It may take several months to see full sleep benefits of exercise.
3. Try to exercise in the morning or evening. Exercising too close (3-4 hours) to bedtime can disturb your sleep. Gentle yoga and stretching before bedtime is okay.
People who exercise regularly sleep better at night.
4. Social connection and activities is important, especially for older people. Get together with your friends for walking, yoga, playing cards or just to have a cup of coffee or tea.
Follow a structured routine
Some variability in routine can be expected day to day, but try to maintain consistency in when you take a bath, eat your meals, exercise, work and sleep
Eat and drink Smarter
- Limit caffeine and nicotine
- Avoid big meals 3 hours before bedtime
- Avoid alcohol before bedtime
- Avoid drinking lots of fluid before bedtime
- Avoid eating high sugar food and large quantities of refined carbohydrates
1. Limit caffeine and nicotine (see link to caffeine chart). Excess caffeine can cause sleep problems up to 12 hours after drinking it! Smoking (nicotine) is another stimulant that can disturb sleep, especially if you smoke close to bedtime or during awakenings.
2. Avoid big meals 3 hours before bedtime. Spicy or acidic food may also lead to heartburn at night. If you are hungry, it is okay to eat a light bedtime snack. Snacks containing tryptophan (bananas, milk, yogurt and nuts) may help you fall asleep.
3. Avoid alcohol before bedtime. While a nightcap may help you relax and fall asleep, it will cause awakenings later at night, when the alcohol level drops.
4. Drink plenty of water during the day, but avoid drinking lots of fluid before bedtime, to avoid frequent trips to the bathroom at night.
5. Avoid eating high sugar food and large quantities of refined carbohydrates (white rice, white bread). Millets and unrefined carbohydrates (brown rice, sojja, ragi, jowar) in moderate quantities are okay.
Relaxing bedtime routine
Reserve 30 – 60 minutes at the end of the day to decelerate after a hectic day. Repeating the same quiet routine before bedtime can help quiet an overactive mind.
- Keep the lights dim
- Switch off electronic devices
- Engage in a relaxing activity
1. Keep the lights dim. Use low wattage bulbs such as table lights. Melatonin (sleep-wake regulating hormone) is secreted at night when the lights are dim ad bright light will suppress it.
2. Switch off electronic devices including computer, IPAD, and smartphone. They emit blue light which suppresses melatonin. If you find it relaxing to watch family videos or play light games like Sudoku on your device before bed, dim the brightness, turn on blue light filter or use light altering software such as f.lux.
3. Engage in a relaxing activity:
a. Read a book that you enjoy.
b. Listen to light music or sing shlokas.
c. Sit together as a family to tell stories to your children.
d. Engage in meditation or relaxating activity.
How can I fall back to sleep?
Waking up in middle of the night can be frustrating. Here are some tips to help you fall back to sleep.
- Keep the lights dim
- Switch off electronic devices
- Engage in a relaxing activity
1. Don’t allow yourself to get frustrated about sleep. If you are unable to fall back to sleep and find yourself becoming frustrated, sit up in bed or go to another room (dim light only) for 10-15 minutes. Spend time reading, listening to music or other activity before returning to bed.
2. If you are unable to sleep due to wandering or disturbing thoughts:
a. Say stop to thoughts
b. Divert your mind to other more pleasant feelings or images.
Visit us at AMARA Sleep to help you sleep better.
Daytime habits for a better sleep at night
- Keep in sync with your body's natural sleep-wake rhythm
- Stay physically and socially active during the day
- Follow a structured routine
Keep in sync with your body's natural sleep-wake rhythm
1) Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day (try not to vary time by > 30 minutes). This will help set your body’s internal clock.
2. Avoid sleeping in: It is okay to catch up on sleep by sleeping 30-60 minutes later on week-ends, but more than this will lead to social jet lag similar to when you travel across time zones.
3. Avoid late napping: A short power nap during the day can help reduce fatigue, but longer naps (>30 minutes) later in the day (after 3pm) may affect your ability to fall asleep at night.
4. Fight after dinner drowsiness: People are tired and may fall asleep on the couch after dinner. If this happens, get up and move around or do light work to avoid falling asleep.
5. Sunlight and sleep: Today most of our work is indoors and very little time is spent outdoors.
Natural sunlight will help improve alertness and set your clock, so that you sleep better at night. Have your morning coffee outside, do outdoor gardening, walk to work and keep your windows open
Stay physically and socially active during the day
People who exercise regularly sleep better at night.
1. Vigorous exercise will produce deeper and more restful sleep, but even light exercise like walking 20 minutes a day will show benefit. (link to physical activity and exercise guidelines)
2. Be patient. It may take several months to see full sleep benefits of exercise.
3. Try to exercise in the morning or evening. Exercising too close (3-4 hours) to bedtime can disturb your sleep. Gentle yoga and stretching before bedtime is okay.
4. Social connection and activities is important, especially for older people. Get together with your friends for walking, yoga, playing cards or just to have a cup of coffee or tea.
Follow a structured routine
Some variability in routine can be expected day to day, but try to maintain consistency in when you take a bath, eat your meals, exercise, work and sleep
Eat and drink Smarter
- Limit caffeine and nicotine
- Avoid big meals 3 hours before bedtime
- Avoid alcohol before bedtime
- Avoid drinking lots of fluid before bedtime
- Avoid eating high sugar food and large quantities of refined carbohydrates
1. Limit caffeine and nicotine (see link to caffeine chart). Excess caffeine can cause sleep problems up to 12 hours after drinking it! Smoking (nicotine) is another stimulant that can disturb sleep, especially if you smoke close to bedtime or during awakenings.
2. Avoid big meals 3 hours before bedtime. Spicy or acidic food may also lead to heartburn at night. If you are hungry, it is okay to eat a light bedtime snack. Snacks containing tryptophan (bananas, milk, yogurt and nuts) may help you fall asleep.
3. Avoid alcohol before bedtime. While a nightcap may help you relax and fall asleep, it will cause awakenings later at night, when the alcohol level drops.
4. Drink plenty of water during the day, but avoid drinking lots of fluid before bedtime, to avoid frequent trips to the bathroom at night.
5. Avoid eating high sugar food and large quantities of refined carbohydrates (white rice, white bread). Millets and unrefined carbohydrates (brown rice, sojja, ragi, jowar) in moderate quantities are okay.
Relaxing bedtime routine
Reserve 30 – 60 minutes at the end of the day to decelerate after a hectic day. Repeating the same quiet routine before bedtime can help quiet an overactive mind.
- Keep the lights dim
- Switch off electronic devices
- Engage in a relaxing activity
1. Keep the lights dim. Use low wattage bulbs such as table lights. Melatonin (sleep-wake regulating hormone) is secreted at night when the lights are dim ad bright light will suppress it.
2. Switch off electronic devices including computer, IPAD, and smartphone. They emit blue light which suppresses melatonin. If you find it relaxing to watch family videos or play light games like Sudoku on your device before bed, dim the brightness, turn on blue light filter or use light altering software such as f.lux.
3. Engage in a relaxing activity:
a. Read a book that you enjoy.
b. Listen to light music or sing shlokas.
c. Sit together as a family to tell stories to your children.
d. Engage in meditation or relaxating activity.
How can I fall back to sleep?
Waking up in middle of the night can be frustrating. Here are some tips to help you fall back to sleep.
- Keep the lights dim
- Switch off electronic devices
- Engage in a relaxing activity
1. Don’t allow yourself to get frustrated about sleep. If you are unable to fall back to sleep and find yourself becoming frustrated, sit up in bed or go to another room (dim light only) for 10-15 minutes. Spend time reading, listening to music or other activity before returning to bed.
2. If you are unable to sleep due to wandering or disturbing thoughts:
a. Say stop to thoughts
b. Divert your mind to other more pleasant feelings or images.
