Healthy Habits Help Healthy Sleep

These steps will improve your sleep: 

1. ONLY go to bed when you are sleepy. If you are not sleepy at bedtime, do something else: You can read a book, listen to soft music, browse through a magazine or a comic. Anything that is relaxing, but not stimulating, to take your mind off of worries about sleep. This will relax your body and distract your mind. 
2. If you are NOT asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed. Find something else to do that will make you feel relaxed. Do this in another room. Your bed is where you sleep or have sex. It is not a place to go when you are bored. Once you feel sleepy again, go back to bed. 
3. Use rituals that help you relax each night before bed.  For example, meditate, take an evening walk, take a bath, a light snack, a few minutes of reading. 
4. Get up at the same time every morning. Even on weekends/holidays do not stray away from this for more than 1 hour. 
5. Get a full night’s sleep on a regular basis. Enough sleep means that you feel well-rested nearly every day.
6. Do NOT take naps. If you must, keep it short: Less than 1 hour and never after 3pm.
7. Keep a regular schedule. Regular times for meals, medications, chores, and other activities help keep the inner body clock running smoothly. 
8. NO reading, writing, eating, watching TV, talking on the phone, etc. in bed. Again, your bed is ONLY for sleep and sex.