How to get a good night's sleep ...

Copyright Paul Roth 2009 Creative Commons

Parenting, work shifts, too much work, pain, difficulty breathing, caffeine, alcohol, indigestion, anxiety, grief, snoring, cramp, uncomfortable bed, noise.  There's so much that can disturb your sleep!

And once it's disturbed it can be so hard to get back into a rhythm.

My sleep has really gone down hill since becoming a mother - I'm exhausted but can't get to sleep - so I've been in search of tips that might help me drop off.

This is a list of the 35 best tips that I've found and that I am trying to put into practice ...

We make our own bed

_{© 2006 A Gustafson Creative Commons Licence}

It's funny how small things can make such a big difference isn't it?

Like all parents of small children I'm still recovering from the sleepless nights.  Being dragged out of bed several times a night.  And just as you're finally slipping back into a slumber .. wail, wail, wail ... it's morning and you have to scramble back out of bed again.

I have to confess that bed making went out of the window in the early days.  There was always that tiny hope that I might be able to creep back in later.  Fat chance.  And when I finally dragged myself back to bed at the end of the day, the rumpled sheets and scrumpled duvet were the last thing on my mind.

But habits stick don't they?

A few years on and I am still trying to get back into they rhythm of really enjoying a good night's sleep. And now with no excuse I am still forgetting to make the bed.

It's daft because with a duvet, it only takes two minutes tops. And there is nothing so restful as slipping into a bed with straight sheets, plumped up pillows and a shaken out duvet.  Sweet dreams.

Do you get as much sleep as you would like?
What helps you to enjoy a really restful night?

Note to self: 
Make bed as soon you get up, it only takes a minute but feels so good!
Did you  know? Research shows that people sleep better when they make the bed every day.

Enjoy a good night's sleep with 
Switching off

Switching off ...

I'm a bit of gadget addict.  I love my computer and my mobile phone.  And boy do I find it hard to switch them off.

"Lianne Asleep"© 2006 Richard Riley Creative Commons license   

What about you? Are you a gadget geek whose lost without your latest toy?

Now I've got a smart phone and a laptop it's even worse.  They can and do go anywhere with me including to bed!  

Every night it's the same.  I try to get myself off to bed by 11ish and then I think I'll just check my mail one last time! And then I'll just write one more tweet! And then I'll just look at Facebook....!

Fatal.  Before I know it - it's past midnight and I'm starting to wake up.  And I only finally get to sleep at 1 with the laptop shoved on the floor by the bed.  And then I sleep badly and wake up grumpy. Hmmmm.

I really love a good night's sleep.  Getting into bed before I'm exhausted and gently dropping off just feels great. So I am taking up arms against myself and my gadget addiction. 

I wrote a list of 5 reasons I love sleep and 5 reasons gadgets aren't good at bedtime.  Whenever I am tempted by one more tweet I will fight back with why it's a bad idea.  And then I will switch everything off and go to bed.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Note to self: Nothing beats waking up after a great night's sleep!

Did you know? Good sleep reduces your risk of heart disease.  Doctors aren't sure why, but they think a well rested heart reduces blood pressure and inflammation of the heart.

Enjoy more posts about a good night's sleep:
Getting going in the morning