Rules for Better Sleep

Are you someone who has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at night? You may be doing things in your life that are preventing you from getting a good nights sleep that are simple fixes. Take a look at some of the following things that could be hindering your sleep habits and see if any of them apply to you!

• Stick to one sleep schedule
• A regular sleep schedule helps the body's biological clock get into a natural rhythm when we go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time everyday. When our body is in a rhythm, we tend to sleep better on a more regular basis. 
• Avoid caffeine after 2:00 PM
• While caffeine kicks in quickly to give you energy, it metabolizes slowly, which makes it have lasting effects and only reduces its stimulant by half, 6-8 hours later. Therefore, your 4:00 PM cup of coffee is still affecting you at 10:00 PM and hinders your sleep. So, in order to have sleep that is not disturbed, stop drinking caffeine after 2:00 PM.
• Stop consuming alcohol at least 3 hours before going to bed
• While alcohol can make you feel sleepy, the presence of alcohol in your system leads to poor sleep quality. When you sleep with alcohol in your system, you spend too much time in a deep sleep and not enough time in REM sleep.
• Don't exercise less than 4 hours before going to bed 
• Getting regular exercise is great for sleep habits and can greatly improve your sleeping patterns and to help you sleep regularly. However, even just a 30-minute workout raises body temperature that lasts for hours after exercising, affecting your ability to fall asleep. So, don't skimp out on exercise, but make it earlier in the day.
• Expose yourself to sunlight
• Exposure to sunlight first thing in the morning can make you energized, refreshed and ready to start your day, as well as help you sleep at night. Early sunlight exposure regulates the cycle of melatonin in the body, which helps energy levels and sleep patterns.