How to Have a Good Night's Sleep

Having trouble sleeping? The long term effects of sleep deprivation can leave you physically and emotionally drained as much as waking life can. Sleep is vital and having restful sleep helps your body to re-energize and heal itself while your mind wanders around dreamland. Here's a definitive guide to getting the best night's sleep possible.

 Method 1: Developing a Schedule & Routine
1. Set a regular bedtime and wake-up time. For every single day of the week (weekends included), what time would be best for you to go to sleep and wake up? Keep in mind you want to squeeze in around 8 hours of sleep a night. If that means going to bed at 11, well, that means going to bed at 11. The idea here is that you'll be training your brain (that's why it has to be an everyday thing). When 11 PM rolls around, you'll enter automatic shut down. And then when 7 AM comes up, up and at 'em you'll be! What times would be ideal for you?. Adults need 7 to 9 hours, on average; however, if you're under 18, you need at least 8.5 -- probably more.

2. Stick to that time every day. Alright, so you've decided that you need to be up by 7 for work, so to get 8 hours of sleep a night you need to go to bed by 11. For starters, cancel all your late night plans, at least for the next two weeks or so. You must go to bed at that time and get up at that time. That's the only way it'll become easy to fall asleep and stay asleep.

• Yep, weekends, too. If you spend two days waking up at 10 instead of 7, when Monday rolls around you won't feel so well-rested with that super early wake-up call. Again -- this is just until this pattern is established. You'll get some wiggle room in a bit.

3. Nap smart. Alright, so going to bed at 11 and getting up at 7 might happen in a perfect world (or in that ol' philosophical vacuum), but your life is full of noise, friends, kids, and other things that are keeping you from having the schedule you'd like. So when you need a nap to hit that 8 hour mark, do so. But don't overdo it! You'll be up all night.

• Napping will be more beneficial to you that sleeping more when you finally do go to bed. Again, you want to keep to that schedule as much as possible. If you're running on empty, nap during the early hours of the day to catch up. Then, resume your schedule as normal.

4. Find your natural sleep schedule. On the off chance you have the power to do whatever the heck you want and could sleep till the cows came home if it so compelled you without incurring any consequences (really irritating the boss, for example), experiment with your body's natural sleep rhythms. Don't set the alarm for two weeks and go to bed when you get tired (but within a similar time frame every day). What times do you gravitate to? When does your body cue you for sleep and wakefulness?

• Everyone will be a little bit different. After a week or two, you may find that you naturally awaken at 8 AM (or 9, or 10). If you have the ability to do so, keep your schedule as close to your natural one as possible. It's what's best for you!

5. Establish a pre-sleep routine. Another way to cue your body for sleep is to do activities every night that wind you down and get you in the sleep zone. Experiment with a few -- what's the most relaxing for you? Try taking a warm bath. Use calming scents, not invigorating ones.
 Listen to calming music. This has the added benefit of drowning out the unwanted sounds of the city, too!

• Read by soft light. Light is a huge no-no before bed, but if you keep it soft (more about this in a bit), that's fair game. Reading can adequately send you into hibernation mode (with the right book, of course).
• Stretch. Loosening up your body feels good any time of day, but it especially feels good before bed. Take them slowly and only do what's comfortable for your level of flexibility.
•  Do a simple hobby. A simple one, that is. Anything that involves you going on autopilot and sitting in a comfy chair probably qualifies.

6.  Use your bed just for sleep. Working in bed messes with your brain -- is it for work or relaxation? Climbing in may just make you run through your list of all the things you have to do. Make sure to keep everything elsewhere. Your bed should just be for sleeping. Make your bed comfy! Invest in some good pillows, a good comforter, and make sure it's big enough for you to toss and turn as you need to. If a dog or child is taking up your space, assert yourself! You need to spread out.

Method 2: Keeping Good Sleep Habits Throughout the Day
 1. Avoid caffeine. You may think that that can of soda at dinnertime is sufficient time for the effects to wear off, but science says it's not. It can last in your system for up to twelve hours.^[3] Heck, that means avoiding it at lunch! But at least science isn't taking away your morning cup of joe.

• In case it wasn't implied clearly enough, having loads of sugar isn't great for your sleepiness either. Even if you avoid the soda, stay away from the overly sugary juices and caffeine free but not sugar free beverages, too.

 2. Quit smoking. Not including the other obvious reasons you should quit smoking, nicotine can also interrupt your sleep schedule -- it's a stimulant. What's more, you may wake up in the middle of the night with a nicotine craving. That's no good for your sleep cycles, either.

3. Get enough light in your day. Whether that means going for your lunch in the park or just throwing open all the curtains, make sure your brain gets stimulated by enough daylight. The sun is a natural cue to your brain that it's time to wake up. Need an excuse to walk the dog? There you go! Remove your sunglasses in the morning for an instant, "WOAH, I'M AWAKE" feeling. The more your eyes can soak in, the better. And if you've got a case of the winter woes, think of investing in a light therapy box. It causes your body to release melatonin the same way the sun does. 

 4. Keep dinner light. When you go to bed, you want to neither be hungry or stuffed -- either feeling can keep you awake. So if you tend to eat your dinner late, this is even more important. The alternative is going to bed later, but you don't want that either! Rich, fatty foods are harder for the stomach to digest. The heavier the food, the more conscious of it you'll be, making it harder to fall asleep. And be wary of spicy foods -- heartburn is just as unpleasant at night as it is during the day