Featured: 10 Ways to Improve Your Sleeping Pattern

Have you spent hours looking at the ceiling? Is sleep evading you? Have you woken up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep?

Sleep is an important factor in our lives. Without it, we can’t function properly! When we need to meet the demands of life, it can sometimes seem like cutting back on sleep is the best answer. After all, there are so many things we can do instead of wasting our time sleeping, right? Wrong. Sleeping is just as vital to our health as breathing, and to help you Mibbians get the best sleep possible, here are a few tips written by Julie Black and I.

Watch What You Eat

Our eating habits play a role in how well we sleep at night. Ideally, your body is going to be at rest for multiple hours during the night (or whenever you choose to sleep). It may be helpful to plan for this “event,” as digestion could interrupt your sleep. As every mother to grace the television screen has warned: no drinking or eating before bed.

Having more than a small glass of water before bed can lead to several trips to the bathroom throughout the night. This, of course, can keep you from getting much needed sleep, leaving you groggy and crabby the next day. Eating foods with caffeine or sugar can hinder your ability to fall asleep, so make sure you avoid them. Greasy foods are also a no-no, they can cause painful acid reflux that may keep you up all night.

Wear What's Comfortable

Once you’ve headed to bed, you’re likely to be in the same place, in the same position for a number of hours. Because of this, it’s best to wear something that fits and feels comfortable. The more comfortable your sleepwear, the less likely you are to toss and turn and fidget as you sleep.

If this means going to bed sans pants or underwear, by all means, let freedom ring! If you’d rather keep covered up, but remain unhindered by baggy clothing that bunch and twist, opt for a pair of inexpensive leggings. Your bed is your safe haven, so do whatever makes you most comfortable.

Adjust the Temperature

It’s hard to fall asleep (and stay asleep) if you feel too warm or too cold. This is why it's important to create an ideal environment when you're going to sleep. If you have control over the thermostat, set the temperature to whatever you find most comfortable. If not, use blankets and fans/coolers to get your space just the way you like it – but try not to go to any extreme. The human body’s temperature drops to its lowest point, called the nadir, when you reach the second half of the sleep cycle. During REM sleep, the body falls into a nadir whereas during a non-REM sleep, the body maintains the body temperature, although only at a reduced level.

Ideally, the room temperature should be between 65 and 70 degrees F (18 to 21 degrees C).

Regulate Sounds

When attempting to sleep, any and every sound can either be your lullaby or the equivalent to Chinese water torture. Some sounds (like a dripping faucet or your neighbor’s barking dog) can disturb your sleep, while other sounds (the sound of rushing water or the familiar buzz of your city's nightlife) can carry you to sleep. So, whenever possible, it’s important to eliminate or add sounds to your environment as you see fit.

For example, if you do choose to start sleeping with a fan on, be prepared for the noise that comes with it - it may not be worth it. Something I frequently do is set my radio to a classical station and let beautiful instrumental pieces lull me to sleep. If a rhythmic pattern would help you more, try a good, old-fashioned analog clock with a loud tick. If you don’t want to hear unnecessary noise, buy an earplug, a special sound machine or just lull yourself to sleep with music.

Lights! Camera! Er...

Lighting is just as important as any other aspect of your bedtime routine. Light acts as a natural alarm clock for your body; it regulates your ‘internal clock’ and keeps it on track. Study shows that light affects your sleep-wake cycle. Obviously, it’s best to sleep in the evening, but don’t stay in the dark for too long; people who are deprived of light for long periods of time (besides sleeping) experience dramatic changes in their sleep and hormones. If your work schedule doesn’t allow for you to get enough sleep during the dark hours, make sure you have thick curtains or even a soft eye mask to wear.

Though many people prefer to sleep in a room that is as dark as possible, many choose to sleep with some form of nightlight. Whether it is a small plug-in light, the residual light shining in from another room, or even the glow of a muted television set, if you choose sleep with some form of nightlight, make sure it's not bright enough to disrupt your sleep.

Exercise Regularly

Exercising and being physically active comes with a lot of benefits. It can decrease stress throughout the day, improve your mood, and help you stay fit and healthy. But did you know it can also help you get a good night's sleep?

If you make exercise a regular part of your daily routine, you'll get better sleep. As long as you exercise at least three hours prior to bedtime and allow your body some time to cool down, a good night's rest will follow soon after.

Have the Right Pillow and Mattress

On average, a person spends one-fourth to one-third of their life sleeping. Since you'll be spending so much time in bed, why not make sure it's just right?

The best place to start, when building your dream bed, is the mattress. Here, you'll have a lot of options (and a lot of big price tags.) Not only are there spring mattresses and box springs, but there are also memory foam mattresses and electric beds that allow you to adjust the bed's position as well as firmness. If a new or ideal mattress just isn't in your budget, try a mattress pad or pillow-top. These are pieces that go over your mattress and can help to add firmness or softness to your bed (depending on your need).

A good pillow is another inexpensive way to create a comfy bed. A perfect pillow should help keep your head in line with your back and spine, and it should cater to your sleeping position. If you sleep on your stomach, look for pillows that are soft and relatively flat. Side-sleepers should use thick, plump pillows to help bridge the gap between your neck, head, and mattress. If you sleep on your back, you need a pillow that's somewhere in the middle – pillows that are too thick will cause your head to tilt downward (and leave you with cricks in your neck and upper back) and pillows that are too thin may not be supportive enough. Try for a pillow that is medium-firm. Whichever pillow you need, remember to replace it when it loses its form.

Read a Book

Most people generally agree that reading is good (and those who don’t probably shouldn’t be dishing out advice.) Reading before bed is a common practice that is usually started when a parent reads a child bedtime stories. This doesn’t have to stop when you grow up! Grab a book, magazine, or even a bit of poetry before you go to bed. Reading books can be helpful to you in many ways. It can be a good, quiet way to relax your mind and unwind at the end of the day. Also, the steady drone of an audiobook can also help provide some well-needed Z's.

Get Enough Sleep

Getting enough sleep might be easier said than done. It's often easy to get distracted by little things around you – from the Internet, to friends on the phone, to your favorite television show – but it's important to not let those things keep you away from a good night's sleep. Those who don't get enough sleep can suffer from a number of ailments, ranging from simple irritability and tiredness to the inability to focus during the day, and even depression.

Getting enough sleep can help keep your body active and energized, and your mind sharp. So if you ever feel yourself slowing down, try taking a short nap or getting more sleep that night. You never know, it may make all the difference!

Try Different Things

In the end, the most important thing you can do to help improve your sleeping pattern is to try different things. What works for some may not work for others, so don't stop trying until you find what works best for you. Just keep these tips in mind and be open new ideas and you're sure to find the sleep routine that's just right.

Happy sleeping!