How to Get Better Sleep Every Night

Do you ever wonder how some people can just hit the pillow and fall asleep and stay asleep all night long? I often wonder how those people do it. My husband is one of those people and I used to be one of those people. Now I am one of those people who fall asleep and wake up at 3A and stay awake for 2 hours and fall asleep until my alarm wakes me at 6:30A and I am tired for most of the morning while trying to get my daughter out of the house by 7:30A to get her to school on time. Some days are better than others. When I do all my good sleep hygiene routines my sleep is usually good that night, however if I start getting into my bad habits, my body does wake me up at 3A.

Here are some of the good sleep hygiene habits I adopted recently that may also help you.

1.) Only eat spicy foods or sauces at lunch time and not at dinner time. The spicy foods sometimes can give you heartburn when you are lying down which can disturb your sleep. Spicy foods are supposed to rev up your metabolism so that can make getting a restful nights sleep a challenge.

2.) Stop working on your laptop or blackberry in bed. If you are on your email or working from your bed, your body is not getting ready for bed. It is still in work mode.

3.) Try to go to bed at a reasonable hour usually before 11P so you can get 8 hours of sleep a night. Your body works on a circadian rhythm that usually sets in around 11P. Once you miss that time you usually get a "second wind" and have a harder time falling asleep.

4.) Take a warm hot bath to relax your body and mind. The warm water and the relaxation you experience after a long day usually helps bring your body to the right temperature for sleep while psychologically preparing you for sleep.

5.) Write all your worries on a notepad before you go to bed. Tell yourself these issues or problems can be solved in the morning. Once you have a place to put those thoughts, your mind should be ready for sleep.

6.) Exercising during the course of the day is important.

7.) Eat a light meal for dinner with healthy carbs like potatoes, brown rice, gluten free pasta, or whole wheat pasta. These healthy carbs can help your body create the serotonin it needs to help you relax and fall asleep and stay asleep.

8.) Make sure your bedroom is not cluttered with things all over the shelves, the side tables, or the floor. A place that is cluttered often clutters the mind and prevents good sleep.

9.) Use an eye mask to block out the light from the outside or from your alarm clock. Light signals daytime for your brain so if you brain thinks it is light out and it is daytime you may not be able to fall asleep or stay asleep.

10.) Make sure your bed is a place where you feel comfortable and cozy. You spend a lot of time in bed at least 6 hours a day so make sure it is a place that your body will feel complete comfort. Make sure the sheets and pillow cases are soft and the mattress the right firmness. Don't compromise on the comfort of your bedding because that is key to getting a good night's sleep.

Try some of these ideas they may help you get on your way to a good sleep hygiene program of your own.