10 Tips To Get A Good Night’s Sleep
A good night’s sleep is what many people are lacking today. Unfortunately, with our fast paced, high tech, media driven culture many people are sleep deprived. Being tired can affect many aspects of our lives; from work, recreation and relationships. It is not uncommon for patients to ask their Doctor of Chiropractic what they can do to get a good night’s sleep.
Here are some tips that can help you get that good night’s sleep:
- (1) Develop a sleep routine. We are creatures of habit and our routines help us to relax. Develop your routine by performing the same preparations each night as well as stay consistent with the time you go to bed
(2) Limit your fluid intake. Don’t let a full bladder wake you from a sound sleep. Try not to drink much about an hour before bedtime.
(3) Eliminate the blue screen time. “The blue light that’s emitted from these screens can delay the release of sleep-inducing melatonin, increase alertness, and reset the body’s internal clock.” Give yourself a good hour of no TV, video games, cell phone usage prior to going to bed.
(4) Limit caffeine intake. Along with limited fluids before bed, make sure you decrease the caffeinated drinks, try avoid coffee, soda or even tea. If you feel you need something, try a herbal tea that is calming.
(5) Avoid arguments. Try to avoid those serious conversations or arguments before bed. It only causes irritation and a stimulation of the nervous system.
(6) Avoid mental stimulation. Along with the arguments and blue screen, avoid things that cause you to think too much. Don’t read the latest thriller or horror book!
(7) Exercise regularly. One of the best ways to get a good night’s sleep is to maintain a regular exercises routine. It doesn’t have to be an intense crossfit or weight lifting activity; regular brisk walks or yoga can help relax your muscles and stimulate the body’s own endorphins.
(8) Fix your sleeping position. The best position to get a good night’s sleep is to lie on your back with a pillow cradling your neck and head and a small pillow under your knees. The next best position is to lie on your side with a pillow that keeps your neck straight and a pillow between your knees. As for sleeping on your stomach…don’t! This position causes you to twist your neck and if your bed is soft causes you to arch your low back, jamming the small joints in the lower spine.
(9) Rotate your sleeping posture. Sleeping in the same posture for months or years can cause our spinal ligaments to stretch and conform to that posture. Over time this can cause and irritation and inflammation of the spinal joints. Change how you sleep on a regular basis. If you normally sleep on your right side, switch up and sleep on your back or left side. Just not on your stomach!
(10) Finally, if you are experiencing pain that keeps you from getting a good night’s sleep, call our office to get checked out. In many instances our spinal joints lose their normal flexibility or range of motion. When we attempt to relax at night, the locked joint becomes irritated and inflamed. Chiropractic adjustments work to restore the normal joint flexibility and help you get that good night’s sleep.
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