Sleepy Sleep

I admit it. I am not a good sleeper. Most of the time my mind just keeps going and going and pretty much outruns the sandman. Lately I've seen all sorts of articles reminding people how important sleep is. "Sleep gives you a radiant complexion." "Lack of sleep makes you fat!" and so on...

To say the least I've tried everything out there to help me sleep. So here are a few tips I've received and tried over the years that has helped me get better sleep.

1. Wear socks to bed. I know it sounds odd and some people just can't have socks on in bed. But I find that if my feet are cold the rest of me feels cold. I have several pairs of snuggly sleep socks that are fuzzy, comforting and sweet. It always feels good to put them on.

2. Keep your bedroom cool. Our bodies temp drops during sleep. So keeping the room cool helps get to the body's sleepy temp faster. But don't keep it too cold. We're not hibernating bears; we're human! I find around 70 to 73 degrees F works best. Too much colder and you spend more time shivering than sleeping.

3. Remove the clock from your view. How many times have you gone to bed, looked at the clock, only to spend the rest of your night going back and forth between counting sheep and calculating how much sleep you would get if you fell asleep right then? It's like going on a run on a rainy day and constantly thinking about how much more you have to trudge through to get to the end. It's maddening!

4. Get a snuggle partner. Maybe it's a girl thing, but feeling lonely can keep you awake. A University of Chicago study found that if you feel lonely you are more apt to wake up several times during the night. I didn't get my puppy Fred as a snuggle buddy, but when he isn't there with me, I do realize I don't sleep as well. Another great thing about having a fuzzy four legged friend.

5. Establish a bedtime routine. This is the last I'll bug you with today. I do know from years of shift work that a routine helps tell your body and mind that you are preparing to sleep. Keep your routine based on actions. Everyone seems to have busy lives that aren't always conducive to going to bed at the same time every night (although that is the ideal addition to bedtime routine).  If you work on a shift that rotates, think of making your routine about getting a shower, then pj's and fluffy socks, brushing your hair and teeth, and finally reading something for 30 minutes. (Note about the reading: A thrilling novel isn't always best for this, because you want to sleep, not be kept awake wanting to read what happens next.) It is like a countdown to snoozeville.

So, I hope some of these help. As the headline will tell you, sleep and quality sleep is vital. Sleep tight!