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Ron Tustin – Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

6626 Sleeping Seniors

Read more articles from Ron Tustin. For people itchy to make things better

People who snore always fall asleep first. ~ Author Unknown

Recently I saw a good article developed by Stratos Ltd primarily for people affected by the Canterbury earthquake.  However the problem of lack of sleep affects most of us at some time, especially when we are worrying or feel overloaded.  So here is a summary of the information.

Try to keep to a reasonably regular sleep schedule

We all feel much more refreshed and energised if we keep a regular and consistent sleep schedule. Try as far as possible to:

When we are getting enough sleep, we should be able to wake without relying on the alarm clock, because our bodies have developed a sleep pattern.

If we give in to after dinner drowsiness, we may wake up during the night and then have trouble getting back to sleep. It is better to do something to avoid falling asleep, such as washing the dishes or calling a friend.

Make your bedroom “sleep friendly”

Even the most relaxing programme or movie can interfere with the body’s clock due to the continuous flickering light coming from the TV or computer screen. Instead try soft music.

We all sleep better when the bedroom is quiet. If there are noises you can’t avoid such as barking dogs or traffic, try masking it with a fan or recordings of soothing sounds. Earplugs may also help.

Most people sleep best in a room which is around 18°C that has adequate ventilation.

If you often wake up with a sore back or an aching neck, you may need to consider a new mattress or a try a different pillow.

If going to bed is associated with events like catching up on emails, texting etc, it will be harder to wind down and get to sleep.

Relaxing routines make it easier to get to sleep.

If we relax and unwind before bed, we will sleep easier and more deeply.

Some relaxing bedtime rituals are:

Things to avoid which make it harder to go to sleep or get a good night’s sleep

Learn some relaxation techniques to help you get to sleep

Some simple relaxation techniques include:

(If you want more information on theses please email me.)

What about medical or natural remedy assistance to help you get to sleep?

If you think that you need sleeping pills or such like to help you sleep see your doctor.

You can also talk to your local pharmacy or natural health store about non prescription and natural sleep assistance. Many people find lavender based gels or creams helpful, or put lavender drops on their pillow. You may also find a relaxation CD works for you.

Ways of getting to sleep if you are having trouble or getting back to sleep when you wake in the night.

If you do not fall asleep within about 30 minutes after turning out the light, get up, go to another room, and do something that is not too arousing (for example, read a magazine, listen to some gentle music, do some ironing). Stay up as long as you wish, and then return to your bedroom to sleep. The goal is to associate your bed with falling asleep.

Get stress and anxiety in check

Stress and worry, or issues that have arisen during the day can make it very difficult to sleep well:

I will talk about this in more detail next month but in the meantime a book I would recommend is “The Happiness Trap” by Russ Harris.

If the stress of managing work, family, or school is keeping you awake, learning how to manage your time effectively, handling stress in a productive way, and maintaining a calm, positive outlook, will help you to sleep better.

Sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together. – Thomas Dekker

Ron Tustin
Revive and Thrive Coaching

Read Ron's Blog
www.reviveandthrivecoaching.com
info@rtc.org.nz
Ph 0800 003679
 
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