How to Get a Better Night's Sleep

For some lucky people, sleeping soundly through the night is as simple as touching their head to a pillow and closing their eyes. For others, a full night of un­interrupted rest is nothing more than a dream. But this is one dream that can come true.

Sleep is a learned behavior. You can retrain yourself to sleep better at any age. And it’s worth the time and effort. Quality sleep gives you more energy, makes you more efficient dur­ing the day, and improves your overall health. Try these tips for a more restful night.

Set a bedtime

In order to train your body to fall into a desirable pattern, you need to be consistent. Choose a bedtime you can follow regularly so that your body will know when it’s time to fall asleep. A good rule of thumb is to work backward from the time you have to be up. If you’d like eight hours of sleep, for example, and you want to wake up at 8 a.m., make midnight your bedtime.

Create a super sleep environment

Make sure your bed is comfortable and your room is dark and quiet. If that’s a problem, invest in eyeshades and ear­ plugs. Choose the right firmness for pillows and low­er the temperature in the room so you don’t feel overheated once you’re un­der the covers.

Start a re­lax­ing ritual

Write in a journal, take a hot bath, read a chapter in a fa­vorite book, or do a few minutes of yoga. Try some light stretching or breathing exercises. This pre­­pares your body for a comfortable, deep sleep.

Learn to visualize

Envis­ion yourself float­ing in the Carib­bean, lying on a warm beach in Hawaii, or rejoicing after a great game of golf or tennis. Conjure this image in your mind before drifting off and then again if you wake up in the middle of the night. This kind of dream mantra can help to reinforce the sleep response.

Reward yourself

When you’ve done all the right things, acknowledge your success. Positive reinforcement is an important factor in the learning process, so take some of the credit. Treat yourself to a new candle, a CD of your favorite music, a yummy treat, or your favorite tea. Re­wards accelerate the learning process and make you feel good about what you’ve accomplished, as you should!