TIPS ON GETTING A BETTER NIGHT'S SLEEP

Good Sleep is Your Key to Good Health

Eating right, exercising, and sleeping well are key contributors to a healthy lifestyle. Many people underestimate the value of sleep. Like proper nutrition and exercise, sleep is essential to feeling your best.

When You Go to Sleep Your Body Goes to Work

The mind and body do not shut down during sleep. Sleep allows the brain to consolidate the days learning into memory and improves the ability to learn repetitive skills such a riding a bike or working on a computer. During sleep the body does maintenance work - replacing old cells with new ones and re-energizing organs and muscles. The work that sleep does during the night is vital for you to function optimally during the day. Getting the right amount of sleep and getting a combination of light and deep sleep provide the most restorative benefit.

Tips for a Good Night's Sleep

• Keep regular hours - Going to sleep at the same time each night.
• Develop sleep rituals - Little things you do each evening before bedtime will help cue your body to settle down
• Sleep on a comfortable supportive mattress set
• Exercise regularly - exercising helps the body relieve tension
• Cut down on stimulants late in the afternoon & evening
• Studies show that smokers take longer to fall asleep & wake up more often during the night
• Avoid alcohol - studies show the use of alcohol causes a person to wake up more often and fragments sleep
• Unwind early - Deal with worries early in the evening
• Sleep in a cool / quiet dark room
• Make sleep a priority - Don't be tempted to stay up late - you will pay for it the next day