How to Get a Good Night's Sleep
May 3, 2010
In January we asked visitors to our Web site if getting more sleep is a part of their New Year's resolution and we were happy to find that up to 60% of respondents said, "Yes!" Our most recent monthly poll revealed that in order to keep up with that New Year's resolution, up to 28% use a dark, quiet and comfy sleep environment to get a good night's sleep, while18% use a sleep aid, and 17% try to stick to regular sleep and wake up times or depend on a relaxing bedtime routine (7%).
Even so, almost 30% of respondents are still not sure what to do to get a good night's sleep. In general, most healthy adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night - but some individuals are able to function without sleepiness or drowsiness after as little as six hours of sleep, and there are those who can't perform at their peak unless they've slept ten hours.
Sleep aids, a sleep-friendly environment, relaxation techniques and sleep schedules can help us achieve a good night's sleep. Here are for additional steps you can take to help improve your sleep quality and duration:
- Do not eat or drink too much close to bedtime
- Use the bed and bedroom for sleep and sex only
- Avoid alcohol and nicotine, especially close to bedtime
- Keep a sleep diary to identify your sleep habits and patterns that you can share with your doctor
"Can't Sleep? What To Know About Insomnia" and "Healthy Sleep Tips" are two two articles you can read to get further information about the importance of sleep.
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