Babies Worldwide

A good night’s sleep is more than a luxury. Sleep is as important to survival as food and water. We do not function well if we go without sleep—for example, we run a higher risk of accidents, we sometimes perform poorly at work or school, and our moods can turn sour. Parents and professionals who struggle with this issue will find these tips helpful.

As many as 70 million Americans–about one-quarter of the population–experience sleep disorders; half of this group have chronic sleep problems. Important new research, including studies supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has linked lack of sleep with obesity, diabetes, and other related conditions.

Tips for Better Sleep

• Follow a regular sleep schedule. It is helpful to go to sleep and wake up at the same times as much as possible, even on weekends.
• Exercise at a regular time each day, at least 3 hours before bedtime.
• Get some natural, outdoor light each day.
• Avoid caffeine late in the day.
• Don’t drink alcohol to help you sleep.
• Avoid smoking.
• Create a safe and comfortable place to sleep (quiet, dark, and well ventilated).
• Develop a nighttime routine that helps you slow down and relax.
• If you’re having trouble falling asleep after about 15 minutes, get up, do a quiet activity, and return to bed when you are sleepy.
• Try these tips and record your sleep and sleep-related activities in a sleep diary. If problems continue, discuss

Tags: sleep

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 27th, 2009 at 11:59 pm and is filed under Womens Issues. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.