Health experts agree you should practice good sleep hygiene to feel rested and rejuvenated. Use these tips and adopt these habits for a better night’s sleep.
-Examine Your Sleep Habits and Enviroment
Generally, sleeping on you back or your sides are best. However, in either position, the idea is to support your natural neck alignment. At Broadway at Burrard Chiropractic we supply posture pillows to our patients to help support their bodies while they sleep. Retire to bed the same time each night and rise at the same time each morning- even on weekends.
-Exercise and Meditation: A Perfect Pair
Regular exercise relieves stress and improves sleep. But avoid rigorous exercise three hours before bedtime as this can actually keep you awake. Meditation is a perfect complement to exercise. It’s an effective way to relax both mind and body.
-What You Eat Impacts Your Sleep
A high fat diet can cause sleep problems, so cut back on saturated and trans fats. Good bedtime food choices are bread, yogurt, and banana. Avoid protein heavy snacks since protein produces energy.
-Quick Fixes Not Always the Best Choice
Unfortunatley, many people want a fast solution to insomnia and see sleeping pills as the best answer. But these medications can be habit forming and come with numerous side effects.
-How Much Sleep Should I Get?
The National Sleep Association recomends 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. But in its 2008 Sleep in America Poll, the association’s results show the average person only gets 6 hours and 40 minutes.
