It’s the middle of the night and you find yourself wide awake. Finding yourself wide awake in the middle of the night staring at the clock is never a good feeling. After all, you need sleep to function. Not getting the sleep your body and mind require can harm your overall health and well-being.
As you get older, your body and mind need more and more sleep. The older you are, the more difficult it can get to get the high-quality sleep you need. Older folks need just as much sleep as younger people which is around 7 to 9 hours. However, they can have trouble getting the requisite sleep because they either deal with insomnia or other issues that impact their ability to sleep. Sleep problems are not a normal part of aging. Find the best IKEA mattress in 2023 to give you the best chance of a great night’s sleep.
If you do find yourself wide awake in the middle of the night, it’s best not to reach for a sleeping aid to solve your problems. Rather than that, utilize the following tips to improve your sleep.
Tips For Getting Sleep:
1. Stick To A Sleeping Schedule
One of the more important things you need to be doing is sticking to a sleeping schedule. A lot of people fall into the trap of staying up late one night and then doing the opposite the next. You want to attempt to stick to a consistent schedule. The more consistently you can keep your sleeping schedule, the better your chances of falling asleep and sleeping well. This is true on both weekdays and weekends. Don’t disrupt your sleeping schedule on the weekend because you can throw your body’s internal clock out of balance.
2. Reduce Napping
You need to get rid of those mid-day naps. Instead of napping, try to keep yourself awake. The more you nap throughout the day, the harder it’s likely to be to fall asleep at night.
3. Stop Drinking Caffeine
If you are someone that relies heavily on caffeine, you’ll want to limit your consumption of it. Curb your caffeine consumption. Whether you drink coffee, or tea, or take caffeine supplements – try to avoid overconsuming them. If you are going to be consuming caffeine, do it earlier in the day. Try to curb your caffeine consumption six hours before going to bed.
4. Give Yourself 20 Minutes
Try to give yourself a good 20 minutes to fall asleep. If you aren’t sleeping after 20 minutes or so, it’s time to get out of bed and do something else. Don’t lay there and stare at the clock. Instead, get up and do something to take your mind off things. If you get up, you can minimize the stress and anxiety of not being able to sleep. This can help you fall asleep when you do get tired enough to do so.
5. Stick To a Routine
Along with sticking to a sleeping schedule, you want to stick to a bedtime routine. Try to find something that you can do on a nightly basis. Whether it’s listening to soft music or reading a book, these things can help signal to your mind and body that it’s time to wind down. Avoid using electronics before going to bed as exposure to blue light can simulate daylight which can keep you from being able to fall asleep easily.
