Steps

1. Get on schedule. Varying your sleeping times by more than an hour can severely disrupt your sleep quality by “advancing the sleep phase”. For example, let’s say you normally wake up at 7 a.m. on weekdays to get to work, so you get to bed around 11 p.m. because that’s when you start to feel sleepy (and it’s also a good time to ensure 8 hours of sleep). If, on the weekend, you sleep in until 9 a.m., you probably won’t be able to fall asleep that night until 1 a.m. Then, you probably won’t want to wake up the next morning until 10 a.m., in which case it will start getting very difficult to fall asleep at 11 p.m. again. In other words, your body thrives on running on a routine; erratic sleeping sessions will interfere with your internal “biological clock.”
2. Be mindful of what you have eaten or drunk before bed. Your stomach should not be too full, but not too empty. Wait at least three hours after dinner before going to sleep. Digestion doesn’t work well while asleep, and a full stomach may interrupt sleep. Do not eat heavy foods for the few hours prior to sleep. Similarly, you should avoid going to bed on an empty stomach, as a completely empty stomach may equally interfere with your sleeping patterns.^[1] Switch to decaf coffee and avoid tea, cocoa and cola drinks. Caffeine can keep you awake even if you drank it earlier in the day, as the effects of caffeine last for about 8 hours. Avoid tobacco products in the evenings as well. Try to avoid drinking water or other fluids one hour before you go to sleep, but make sure you drink at least 2 litres of water during the day. A well hydrated body will not wake you up thirsty in the middle of the night. While alcohol will make you feel sleepy, it will reduce sleep quality. If you find that your stomach is grumbling for food and is keeping you awake, have a light snack about an hour before bedtime. Stick to foods that contain high levels of tryptophan, such as milk, turkey, yogurt, ice cream, soy beans, tuna, and peanuts. Tryptophan helps the body produce serotonin in order to relax.^[2]
   
3. Keep the room dark. Exposure to light during the time you’re supposed to be sleeping can disrupt your body’s internal cycles. This has been documented in studies surrounding circadian rhythms.^[3] Turn your light off, or use a very dim night light. Pull curtains across, blinds down or shut the shutters, to prevent outdoor lights from shining on you. If you wake up and see any kind of bright light, you’ll have a much harder time falling back asleep. Try to eliminate all sources of light, including from windows, LED clocks and cable boxes, by covering them with heavy paper or cloth covers, or blue tack.
4. Change your sleeping position. You may think that it’s impossible to control what position you sleep in since you aren’t fully aware of what you are doing, but it is possible and it can make a considerable difference. When you go to sleep, or if you wake up in the middle of the night, make a conscious effort to follow these guidelines until it becomes habitual:
   • Keep your body in a “mid-line” position, where both your head and neck are kept roughly straight. Don’t use a flat pillow that causes your head to tilt down toward the mattress. Likewise, don’t stack your pillows so that your head is propped at an angle.

     

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     Place a pillow between your legs if you sleep on your side. This will support your hips and make this position more comfortable—plus, it feels good!

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     Place a pillow under your legs, if you sleep on your back, to take stress off your lower back.

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     Avoid sleeping on your stomach. It’s difficult to maintain the mid-line position, and it is more likely to cause aches and pains. If you must, bend one arm upwards and place it under your pillow. This will help alleviate stress on your back and neck by slightly propping up your body on one side.

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   Maintain your mattress. Turn the mattress over every few months. Replace it after 5-7 years of regular use. If you feel springs or ridges beneath the surface when you’re lying on the bed, or you and your partner roll to the middle of the bed unintentionally, it’s time to go mattress shopping. You may also find that the mattress is to blame if you find yourself sleeping better in another bed.

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   Exercise. If you have a sedentary job, a lack of physical exertion may be reducing the quality of your sleep. The human body uses sleep to repair and recover. If there isn’t much from which to recover, your body’s sleep cycle could be disrupted. A day of physical exertion (such as taking a run or a swim) or, better yet, regular exercise can make for deeper and more restful sleep. Don’t exercise right before bed to help you get to sleep; it tires out your muscles and makes you even wider awake.

7. Make note of unusual circumstances. Many outside factors can contribute to overall sleeplessness, including stress, certain illnesses, or short-term post-traumatic stress. Have there been any recent events or changes that have been troubling or otherwise preoccupying you? This issue may be following you subconsciously and interfering with your sleep. If the issue itself cannot be addressed or resolved directly, consider employing relaxation techniques such as meditation.
8. Visit your doctor. If you are concerned that you may have a sleep disorder, tell your doctor. Some of the most common sleep disorders are insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), restless legs syndrome (RLS), narcolepsy, parasomnias, and heartburn (acid reflux). If you are indeed suffering from and are diagnosed with any of these conditions, your doctor will recommend treatment accordingly.
9. Don’t sleep on a couch or a sofa. Even resting on a couch or sofa can reduce your energy levels later on. Make sure that when sleeping or even taking an afternoon nap you lie on a comfortable bed with your limbs outstretched as this improves the effectiveness of your rest and better prepares you for the evening or the next day.

[edit] Tips

• Don’t nap for more than 15-20 minutes per day. It can throw off your sleep cycle and make it harder for you to get good sleep at night.
• Try removing your socks for an hour before you go to bed and putting them on right before you go to sleep—the shock of warmth and comfort may help you get to sleep.
• Wear appropriate clothing that reflects the weather. Don’t forget your feet—cold feet can keep you awake! Keep a sweatshirt or an extra blanket right next to the bed, just in case you get too cold at night.
• Avoid leaving your TV or music on overnight. If you need it to fall asleep, use the timer feature to make sure that it turns off by the time you fall asleep.
• Keep your eyes closed! It may sound intuitive, but it is hard to fall asleep when you are staring at the ceiling.
• If you can’t fall asleep within the first 40 minutes of going to bed, get up and do something else until you feel sleepy. Lying in bed awake for long periods of time will cause you to associate your bed with not sleeping.
• You may try using a particular ritual before you go to bed that will make you sleepy. For example, you might try taking a warm bath, reading a book, or drinking a glass of warm milk.
• Try using lavender. The scent may help you to calm yourself down and may make you feel a little sleepy. If you have lavender scented body splash or perfume, you can try scenting your pillow with it.
• Feeling too hot? Learn how to sleep comfortably on a hot night. Feeling too cold? Learn how to sleep when it’s cold.
• Try taking a cool shower before going to bed. You’ll wash off a good deal of what might make you itchy, especially if you’ve been outdoors and have a bug bite or two.
• Keep bedroom clutter to a minimum so the last thing you see at night is your bed, rather than all the little things that need to be taken care of.
• Here is how you can find the optimal thickness for a pillow: Stand comfortably with your back against a wall. The distance between the wall and your head is the ideal compressed pillow thickness.
• Try to keep your bedroom quiet. Having distracting noises that startle you can keep you awake.
• Try sleeping with an open window. Fresh air on a cool night can help you to relax.
• If you are struggling to sleep due to changes in your sleep cycle, try taking melatonin before you go to sleep. Continue this routine for a few days, or as instructed on the back of the medicine bottle.