Try to limit differences between weeknight and weekend sleeping schedules to no more than an hour. Go to bed at the same time every night, and wake at the same time every morning, even on weekends. Pick one time to get up, and stick with it, even on weekends or other days where you might otherwise feel the temptation to stay up.
Just as the way you feel in the waking hours is often dependent on how well you are sleeping at night, the cure to your sleeping difficulties is often found in your routine. Your routine--what you eat and drink, what medications you take, how you structure your day, and how you choose to spend your evenings--can have a significant effect on the quality of your sleep. Around half the British population suffers from sleep problems caused by stress, so it is crucial that you make time for relaxation before going to bed, whether that is taking a hot bath, reading a book or listening to soothing music.
Summary A hot bath, shower, or foot soak before bed may help you relax and enhance sleep quality. You may also want to try developing a soothing bedtime ritual that helps prepare your mind to fall asleep, like practicing a relaxation technique, taking a hot bath, or turning down the lights to listen to soothing music or an audiobook. Nighttime snacks can help you fall asleep For some people, having a light snack before going to sleep may help encourage sleep.
Practicing good sleep hygiene, suggests sleep expert Ambrose Chiang, may help address some issues that inhibit good sleep. Your bed should be reserved for sleeping and for having sex -- not to watch TV, Dr. Chiang says, or for using your mobile phones and iPads for surfing the Web. You want to have strong psychological associations between your bed and sleep, so try to limit activities in the bed strictly to sleep and sex.
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