The Top Ten Ways to Fall Asleep

Not getting enough sleep increases your risk for heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, as well as other health problems. Lack of sleep also increases symptoms of depression, ages your skin and decreases memory. Assess how much you sleep and find a way to maintain the recommended amounts each night. The National Sleep Foundation offers a number of suggestions for healthy sleeping habits, and suggests that adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night.

Sleep Only in Your Bed

• Your bed and bedroom should be used only for sleeping. Find a bed that fits your body, and keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and comfortable. Your mind associates light with wakefulness and darkness with sleep.

Exercise Regularly

• Exercise improves your sleeping patterns by regulating metabolism and hormone levels. The Sleep Foundation recommends establishing a bedtime at least three hours after exercising to give the body enough time to cool down enough to sleep.

Avoid Caffeine, Nicotine and Alcohol

• Consuming caffeine, nicotine and alcohol late in the afternoon and evening can affect sleeping patterns. Caffeine and nicotine will stimulate blood flow and will increase body temperature, keeping you awake longer. Alcohol may help you fall asleep initially but can disrupt your sleep in the middle of the night causing you to stay awake.

Go to Bed at the Same Time

• Establish a regular bedtime and wake-up time. Keeping your body in a routine will help you fall asleep each night.

Get up After 30 Minutes

• After lying in bed awake for 30 minutes it is time to get up and find a relaxing activity to do. Read a book, listen to soothing music, or do relaxation exercises.

Drink Milk

• Before you go to bed drink a glass of warm milk. Since milk is high in calcium and tryptophan, it increases sleep hormones and helps you fall asleep.

Eat a Smaller Dinner

• Eating a large dinner causes the metabolism to work harder and longer. One of the purposes of sleep is to decrease energy and regulate metabolism hormones, but if the body still has food in the stomach it must maintain an active metabolism.

Avoid Taking Naps

• Taking a nap during the day will affect your ability to fall asleep. Instead of a nap in the mid-afternoon, perform exercises to increase energy levels and to help you fall asleep at night.

Change Your Pillow

• Pillows collect dust and flatten, thus affecting how you sleep. Pillows typically should be changed every six months. Determine if your pillow should be changed by folding it in half; if it stays folded, it is probably time to get a new one.

Manage Stress Levels

• If you are worrying or stressing about something before bed, take time to write it down and write what you plan on doing about the issue tomorrow. This helps clear the mind and gives you a plan of action that is better than lying there worrying about it.