Sleep Tips: How To Catch Some Zzzzzs

     Getting a great night's sleep is troubling for many. Often times people can earn a little more shut-eye if they make slight changes in their daily lives. I worked on the overnight schedule for an extended period of time, so I studied up on all of these slight changes and other things one can do to have more productive sleep. There are certain foods you can eat and drink right before bedtime that promote rest, for example bananas, cherries, peanut butter, chamomile tea, etc. There are certain things you can do so that your body is relaxed enough for slumber. You can try turning off electronics, meditation, turning down the lights, and most importantly you can develop a routine that gives signals to your body that you are getting ready to go to sleep. I used all of these methods on top of sleeping pills and natural sleep aids. Luckily, my sleep struggles have ended or at least the struggles I had with day time sleeping have ended. I am done with the overnight schedule, but the lessons I learned about making myself tired enough for bedtime and scheduling sleep will last a life time. I like to share my tips with others and transform my sandman battle into a positive experience for others.
     Recently I came across some more tips on successful snoozing that I hadn't read before. According to "Secrets to a Great Night's Sleep" on Yahoo! Shine, you should set the right temperature in your house. This is a tip that doesn't surprise me because I had to learn the hard way that you'll end up tossing and turning if you try to sleep when your surroundings are too warm. The article recommends keeping your room between 65 and 70 degrees to can help induce the decrease in body temperature needed in order to fall asleep. Another tip is to get rid of stacks of stuff and clutter because sleep doctors say it can be an anxiety-inducing reminder of tasks you still have to complete, which can keep you from fully relaxing and unwinding.
     There are some other things I did to make sure my bedroom was the perfect place to count sheep. I used heavy, dark curtains to block the light out of my room. Blackout curtains work fine too, but they are more expensive. I also had my walls painted a medium tan color so that when the lights were out and the curtains drawn the room was completely dark. Lavender is a scent sleep frustrated people should grow to know well. It induces a more restful state, which can prepare your body for sleep. I had a bottle of a diluted lavender infused oil by my bedside and sprayed my sheets and bedding with it every time they were changed. In addition, I would spray my pillow with it every day. Lastly, I had an eye mask that not only shut out any sneaky ray of light, but it was comforting. Having the sandalwood (another important fragrance for those trying to get more sleep) infused eye cover strapped to my head was relaxing and was my body's final signal that it was time to drift off into dream land.