The Health Benefits of Sleep

Added: November 4, 2010

Sleep is vital for concentration, memory formation and the repair of damage to the body's cells during the day. Important hormone production is regulated during sleep. In children, human growth hormone is released during deep sleep. There is also evidence to suggest sleep may help regulate body weight.

It is has been well-documented that the ideal amount of sleep each night is 7-9 hours. Here are some tips on how to best achieve a good night's sleep tonight and every other night:

• Avoid reading or watching TV in bed. Doing so confuses your body, making it often difficult to fall asleep.
• Get out of bed if you haven't fallen asleep within 15 minutes. Do some quiet reading but avoid anything that will over-stimulate your mind, such as watching TV or going on the computer.
• Maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. After several weeks, you will likely fall asleep quicker each night and will feel more refreshed the next day.
• Create a bedtime ritual. Start the ritual about 30 minutes before bedtime to help relieve stress. A warm bath, light yoga or meditation or excellent ways to relax before bed.
• Exercise daily. Try to exercise early in the day and never less than 3 hours before bedtime.
• Get some sunlight. Sunlight regulates your circadian clock and helps makes you feel sleepy at night by releasing melatonin at night to help you sleep.
• Avoid caffeine in the afternoon.
• Darken your bedroom at night. Block out any light from outside the bedroom as best you can.
• Avoid alcohol. You will likely fall asleep just fine after consuming alcohol but you likely wake up in the middle of the night after the body has metabolized the alcohol and there is a rebound of blood sugar.
• Don't Smoke. Nicotine is a stimulant that keeps people awake. In addition, nicotine withdrawal might cause people to wake up too early.
• See a doctor if you cannot fall asleep even with the above lifestyle changes. If you have a sleep disorder, you can receive some medical assistance to get back on track.