SOME IMPORTANT TIPS ON HOW TO GET ENOUGH SLEEP EVERY NIGHT

You know you should be getting your sleep every night, but if you’re like most of us, you’re either not sleeping enough, waking up a lot when you do,
or lying there wondering what time it could be,and whether it is too late or too early to get up and turn on the TV. In fact, 60% of people in the world experience sleep problems every single night. Before you write this off as another of life’s unsolvable problems (or, let’s be honest, just reach for the sleeping pills again) read on. As it turns out, simple tweaks to your all-day routine can prep you for a much better night’s sleep. Here’s what to do from the second you wrestle yourself from your warm bed in the morning to the moment you crawl back in after a long day.

MAKE SLEEP A PRIORITY
Now, don’t roll your eyes. If you want a better night’s sleep, you have to get serious about it. Need convincing? A study found that when you’re short on sleep, you’re also more likely to overreact to minor incidents, feel stressed out, and blow your top. Even worse, your physical health takes a hit, too. “Lack of sleep increases the risk for high blood pressure, depression and weight gain, the latter as a result of adverse effects on hormones that regulate appetite,” says Andrew Weil, MD, Prevention advisory board member, founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.


SAY NO TO COFFEE AFTER NOON
Your morning mug gets a pass, but guzzling it all day is a big NO. Here’s why: It’s often said that caffeine has a half-life of about five hours—which means if you eat an early enough dinner, that after-supper cappuccino should be out of your system by bedtime, right? Unfortunately, that’s not quite right. After seven hours, much of the stimulant will be gone from your system, depending on your sensitivity to it—but 25% of it could still be there. “It can also increase nighttime urination and otherwise adversely impact your sleep,” says Dr. Weil.

GET YOUR SWEAT ON.
Sleep experts often say you should avoid working out in the evenings because it can take hours for adrenaline—that exciting hormone that surges during exercise—to return to normal levels. Unfortunately, the proof that nighttime workouts inhibit sleep just isn’t there. There is plenty of research, however, that supports the idea that exercise improves sleep. One study found that insomniacs who picked up a regular exercise routine slept better, felt less depressed, and had more energy all day. The bottom line? If working out at night interrupts your sleep, squeeze in a morning run instead.

GO EASY ON BOOZE
A nightcap, tempting though it may be when you can’t sleep, can actually ruin your slumber—and that’s especially true for women. According to one study, men who went to bed tipsy slept soundly—as well as when they were sober—but women slept fewer minutes and woke up more often. Deeper stages of sleep—which are the ones that make you feel most rested. Finally, like coffee, alcohol is a diuretic, says Dr. Weil. It’s hard to sleep when you’re running to the bathroom every couple of hours.

UNWIND YOURSELF WHEN YOU HET HOME
If walking in the door means confronting a pile of bills—or a gaggle of hungry children—it’s understandable that relaxation can seem all but impossible. But it’s smart to start unwinding early in the evening, so you’re marking a transition from your stressful day life, to your evening. Pencil in a 5-minute window of you-time where you brew a cup of calming chamomile tea, take a bath if you have time, or just sit quietly alone (bathrooms are great since no one will bother you in there).

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