Tossing and turning all night, fluffing the pillow, pulling the cover over your head. Lack of sleep can have you feeling groggy and irritated in the morning; especially when you have a full day of things to plunge into. But, if you experience restlessness, there are five things you can do to get to la-la land even faster.

1 Sheep…2 Sheep

1. Children aren’t the only ones who can awake and feel refreshed from a nap. We all can benefit from taking a nap late or early in the day, so you’ll want to take a page from their book when it comes to napping. However, those who are losing sleep at night may make the matter worse by resting during the day. Can’t resist the urge to nap? You may feel your best if you take your siesta in the early afternoon. Also, your slumber should be limited to thirty minutes only. This is beneficial because it will not disturb your natural sleep-wake rhythm, which can sometimes throw you off-key for days at a time.

2. Whether you have the tendency to get all wrapped-up in late night TV, chatting with friends via social media or have to perform routine tasks to prepare you for the day ahead, it can be difficult to get to sleep on time. This is precisely the reason why you should set a regular bedtime for yourself.

You may be thinking, how do I detach from what’s going on around me? It’s quite simple to do. Just go to bed at the same time every night. Pick a time when you normally would feel tired and try not to deviate from this routine throughout the week and on weekends, a time when it may be easiest to do. Moreover, you can help your body adjust to a new bedtime by making this change in tiny increments. This may mean that you hit the hay at least 15-30 minutes earlier or later every day.

3. It can be nearly impossible to fall asleep if your environment is too stimulating. While you can control inside sources of noise, you can’t always control outside sources. For example, you can’t stop your neighbor’s barking dogs, cars flying by or the blaring sirens from police or rescue crews. You can, however, try masking these disturbances with a fan. Other things you may try is white noise or recordings of soothing sounds like waterfalls. Consider investing in a sound machine or generate your own white noise by setting your radio between stations as well.

4. Though you think it may not, the temperature in your bedroom can affect how well you sleep at night. Keep your room cool in order to rest well. What room temperature are most cool in? Many sleep best in a slightly cool room, this is around 65° F or 18° C; adequate ventilation also is a contributing factor to sleep success. Note that if a bedroom is too cold or too hot, this may interfere with quality sleep also.

5. Those commercials for Sleepys – The Mattress Professionals are not just another gimmick. There actually is some truth to the claim that is being presented. When selecting your bed, make sure it is comfortable. How do I determine this? You should have enough room to turn and stretch with comfort. If you are satisfied with your mattress and sometimes awake with an aching or a sore back, you may need to purchase a new pillow, one that provides more or less support.

Feeling Your Absolute Best

How do my sleep averages compare with others? According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult sleeps fewer than seven hours each night. As with many things, sleep requirements vary from person to person. But, most healthy adults need between seven and a half to nine hours of sleep per night in order to function at their best. Nonetheless, there is a huge, huge difference between the amount of sleep you can get by on and the amount you actually need to function properly. Do you feel a yawn coming on?

Web Links:

–http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleep_tips.htm;

–http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm

-Kimberly Williams