How to get a Good Sleep?

1 Sleep primarily at night: Daytime naps steal hours from night-time slumber. Limit daytime sleep to less than one hour, no later than 3 pm. If you work nights, keep your window coverings closed so that sunlight, which interferes with the body’s internal clock, doesn’t interrupt your sleep.

2 Keep it quiet: Silence is more conducive to sleep. Turn off the radio and TV. Use earplugs to mask sounds you can’t control, such as a busy street, trains, airplanes or even a snoring partner.

3 Make your bed: “A good bed is subjective and different for each person. Make sure you have a bed that is comfortable and offers orthopedic comfort,” says Dr Shepard. Children and pets are often disruptive, so you may need to set limits on how often they sleep in your bed with you. Use your bed only for sleep and sex. If you don’t fall asleep in 30 minutes, get up and do something else. Go back to bed when you’re tired. Don’t agonise over falling asleep.

4 Soak and sack out: Taking a hot shower or bath before bed helps bring on sleep because they can relax tense muscles. It also helps to destress your mind to a great extent. You can also add a few drops of your favourite aromatic oil to your bath.

5 Don’t rely on sleeping pills: Check with your doctor before using sleeping pills. Doctors generally recommend using sleeping pills for up to four weeks. If you take sleep medication, reduce the dosage gradually. Use the lowest dosage, and never mix alcohol and sleeping pills.

Determine the quality of your sleep

Insomnia — the inability to get enough sleep — may only last a night or it can last for months, years or even a lifetime. If you have any of the following symptoms, you may not be getting enough sleep:

You routinely ignore your alarm clock or snatch a few extra minutes to snooze before getting up. You look forward to catching up on your sleep on the weekends.
You have to fight to stay awake during long meetings, in overheated rooms or after a heavy meal.
You’re irritable with co-workers, family and friends.
You have difficulty concentrating or remembering.
It takes you more than 30 minutes to fall asleep at night.
You wake repeatedly throughout the night.
You wake up groggy and not well-rested.
Your spouse or partner complains about your snoring or fitful sleeping.