Tips for becoming a Serene Sleeper

Good sleep is just as important as exercising regularly or a healthy diet.  It is essential to your overall health and well-being.  Many people do not know that lack of sleep increases the risk of developing chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, heart disease and type II diabetes.  It can also affect productivity, relationships and accident risk.  Here are a few tips to help increase and improve your sleep:

• Get enough sleep.  Most adults need 8 hours for optimum results.
• Consistency is king.  Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each night.  Nap only when needed, as too much daytime sleep interferes with night sleep.
• Get physical.  Exercise during the day-but not just before going to sleep.
• Avoid consumption of caffeine, nicotine or alcohol in the late afternoon or evening.  Caffeine and nicotine stimulate the brain and elevate heart rate and blood pressure.  Alcohol causes drowsiness, but fragments your sleep later on.
• Monitor your meals.  Do not go to bed full or hungry.  Heavy digestion competes with quality sleep, but so does hunger.  Eat dinner several hours before bedtime and snack lightly if hungry at bedtime.  A balanced diet is best.
• Give your mind a break.  Relax an hour before bedtime with prayer or meditation, a bath or a good book.  Making a "to do" list for the following day can also help clear your mind before sleep.
• Create a comfortable sleeping environment by limiting the amount of light in the room, eliminating or masking noise, and maintaining a temperature of about 65 degrees.
• Sleep on your back or side, not on your stomach.  Stomach sleeping places more stress on your neck and lower back.