Healthy Sleep Habits

Having trouble falling asleep? It could be your pre-bedtime habits that are preventing you from catching those much needed Z's. These healthy sleep habits will help you feel more rested in the morning.

Don't Eat Right Before Bed.
Having a snack just before you hit the hay can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, or worse, heartburn.

Avoid Snoozing on the Weekends
As sad as it is to say, sleeping in can ruin your sleep. Your body responds well to routine, so sticking to your regular bedtime patterns is a must to stay well rested.

Read a Good Book
Grabbing your favorite book right before bed can be bad and good. If you typically have trouble sleeping it could be because you're body is used to reading a few chapters before shutting down. But, for chronic non-sleepers (hello, insomniacs!) trying something soothing right before bed can help you drift to sleep.

Don't Play with Gadgets
Whether you're Facebook-stalking your ex, or talking up a potential new BF on a dating site, your computer (iPad, smartphone, or any other gadget) will turn you into a zombie the next day. The brightness of the screen stimulates the brain and will force you to stay awake. This is great for cramming for tests in college, but lousy when you have a presentation the next day. Tip: just because your cell is your alarm clock doesn't mean you should be using it to play Spider Solitaire while dozing off.

Skip That Glass of Wine
You may think that glass of wine you have before bed helps you relax and fall asleep, but it actually does the opposite—it disrupts the stages of sleep which can cause you to wake up or toss and turn throughout the night.

Ditch that Last Cup of Coffee
Beverages like coffee, tea, or soda, and even foods with chocolate have high doses of caffeine that will keep you awake. Try not to consume these items at least 6-7 hours before bed.

Work Out Earlier
Yes, you should still work out regularly, but not a few hours before bed. Exercise increases your body temperature and elevates your energy level. Both of these can disrupt your sleeping patterns. On the contrary, if you hardly work out because you're always "too tired" it's probably has something to do with your sleep habits.

Have Sex
While sex may keep you up past your bedtime, the chemical released post-orgasm (oxytocin) can help you both sleep like a baby.