[vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” box_shadow_on_row=”no”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Good quality sleep is so important for good physical and emotional health. We often take sleep for granted in this society. We stay up late and then fall asleep in front of the TV while watching the late news and then have our alarms jolt us up out of bed in the morning so we can start out day with a cup of coffee. This is NOT healthy living!

So, no need to wonder why we develop issues with sleep at points in our lives, instead start to make small changes to improve the quality of your sleep.

1. Your room and your bed should be peaceful, inviting, calming and very comfortable. Clear all clutter and place some of your favorite lovely items in the room. Be sure your bed and your pillow are comfortable and that your room is dark, quiet and a proper temperature. If you tend to get warm at night while sleeping, be sure to keep the temperature of your home cooler at night when you sleep. Use white noise if you live in a home where noises can be heard.
2. Avoid seeing any light during the night. If you have an electric alarm clock or night light, consider disconnecting. If you do wake in the middle of the night (possibly to use the rest room), try not to turn on any lights or look at a lighted clock or night light. Having light enter your eyes will reset your melatonin, which is your critical sleep hormone.
3. Try to go to bed and wake near to the same time every day. Building a sleep pattern that becomes your natural clock is helpful. Getting to bed by around 10:00pm has been found by experts to be ideal. The sleep you experience between 10:00pm and 12:00pm have been found to be the most healing.
4. Exercising during the day, preferably outside in the daylight or fresh air, will help to encourage sound sleep at night. Getting a bit of vitamin D from the sun, several times a week, is helpful overall for good health and strong bones. Walking briskly is a good and simple form of exercise. The natural weight bearing that occurs on the legs and hips will keep those bones strong and joints flexible. Yoga is also a good exercise to exert energy as well as calm the mind.
5. Be sure to avoid caffeine or alcohol as both have been proven to disrupt sleep patterns. Eating dark chocolate or something very high in sugar late in the day will disrupt sleep as well. The most important thing is to not obsess about sleeping. Just relax and know that improvements will be experienced over time with these suggestions. Sleeplessness is troublesome, but not directly life threatening.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]