8 Steps to Getting the Sleep You Need

Give your body the time it needs to repair and refresh

Keep it cool and dark 

Your body temperature drops as it goes into the second stage of sleep. Between 65-72 degrees is ideal for the average person, but find what is most comfortable for you.

End the caffeine before noon  

Caffeine has a half life of 5.7 hours, meaning that it takes over 10 hours in general for the caffeine to clear your system. Remember things like chocolate are also high in caffeine. Consider having that truffle at lunch time then drop it for the day.

Change your mattress

One third of our life is spent sleeping! If your mattress is more than 10 years old, lumpy or sagging, invest in a better one. Sleep studies show the average person on a bad mattress will adjust their  sleeping position up to 60 times per night! On a great mattress it can be as low as 15.

Write it out 

Journaling or keeping paper and a pen next to your bed to jot down things you need to remember for the next day, helps your brain to let it go. Tell yourself the problems can wait until morning, and remember that little will change overnight anyway.

Evening rituals 

Gratitude is being recognized more and more as a marker of improved well being. Find 3 good things about the day and give sincere thanks for them. Writing them out helps your brain and soul connect to the goodness in your life and helps you feel less anxious. 

Calcium for frazzled nerves 

Take a calcium supplement at noon and with dinner. Try increasing the dosage for 3 months. If you are seriously depleted this can do wonders for nerve health and emotional well being. Choose one your body can easily use, like Herbal Calcium.

Avoid protein after 7 

If you feel hungry before bedtime choose a light carbohydrate and a cup of relaxing tea. Proteins can take 3-7 hours to digest and may keep you awake in the night.

Slow down

Spend the last few hours before bedtime as relaxed as possible. Reading is better than strenuous exercising. A quiet conversation with a loved one, a warm bath and reducing the noise level all help relieve tension build up.