10 Great Ways to Sleep Better and Feel Rested

Sleep is a very important part of our daily life. Experts might tell us that 8 to 10 hours of sleep is good enough but it can vary from one person to another. There are those that are able to fare well with a 5-hour sleep while there are those that will need more than that to get rested.

So how will you know that you have had a good night’s sleep? Take notice on how you feel upon waking up in the morning. If you feel well-rested and energized to immediately get out of your bed and start the day then you most probably had a very good sleep.

Not having enough sleep at night can greatly and negatively affect you the following day. A good rest at night will make you feel smarter, appear calmer, and look better. To give yourself the best possible sleep at night, take note of these tips.

1. An hour before going to sleep, aside from preparing to go to sleep, make your room conducive to sleeping. Switch off your television or computer and play some relaxing music.
2. Make sure that your relaxing music does not contain words as this can provoke and direct your thoughts. Stick to instrument or vocal sounds instead. If you must listen to music with voice, listen to a song sung in a language that you do not understand.
3. You can also listen to music that has natural “breaths”. Music with a flute or other wind instruments will help you slow down your breathing.
4. Get a good bedtime read in the form of stories or magazines that will distract you from your own life. Veer away from reading materials that will get you to think of that things you deal with everyday.
5. Most people find it hard to sleep because they have a million things in their mind. If you experience this, use guided imagery and imagine being in a place that is relaxing and free from distractions.
6. You can also try muscle relaxation to help you sleep. Starting with the muscles in your face, take notice of their tensions and get them to relax. Continue with this as you go down to the various muscle groups in your body until you get to the muscles in your toes.
7. Naps are a great way to catch up some sleep that you might have missed the night before. Just make sure that you take them early in the afternoon for less than 30 minutes to avoid affecting your sleeping time at night.
8. Lavender has long been known to possess relaxing properties. Add a few drops of lavender oil to your hot bath before you drift off to sleep.
9. Just like lavender, chamomile can also calm your nervous system. Drink a cup of chamomile tea before bed for a more restful sleep.
10. Calcium and magnesium has a calming effect on your body so take these supplements right before bedtime. 500 mg Calcium with 250 mg Magnesium should be good enough.

If you are still having problems with getting a good night’s sleep, it would be best that you consult with a health care professional as early as possible. You might have a serious sleeping problem that needs immediate attention and treatment.