Sleepy?

We have all partied during the winter holiday period and few of us have actually rested. And now we find ourselves back to work and by the afternoon, we could almost fall asleep in front of the computer or wherever we happen to be working. I know I am as my greatest desire is to sleep a whole day if that's possible. Also, for women, not getting enough sleep shows on our faces. Ever heard the saying of the "beauty sleep"? It's true you know. The beauty sleep is one of the most basic beauty essentials. And that doesn't go for women only. Men are affected by the lack of sleep as well. Besides the visible marks of tiredness, it can also diminish our work performances and we don't want that, do we? So I've done some reading and found some factors that can help us get the desired/ needed amount of sleep for keeping in shape.

If we get the proper rest, we will feel better and reduce stress as well as avoid weight gain and improve our work performance. I know it is sometimes hard to sleep long enough, especially during the work week but if you can't go to bed earlier or sleep later, you could at least improve the quality of your sleep. Let us see how to fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.

1. Develop a routine, one to which you can stick. Of course no caffeine, maybe a cup of tea would do the trick.
2. Daily exercise. Be careful not to do them within 3 to 4 hours of bedtime because otherwise it might help ruin and not improve your sleep. These kinds of exercises can also diminish PMS symptoms that might disrupt women's sleep. A recommended exercise is taking a walk. You can even develop a walking plan as to walk at least three times a week, because walk is said to:
-Reduce stress levels, especially if you walk by water or through trees.
-Reduce levels of anxiety and improve your mood.
Latest research has shown that the best time to go walking is in the afternoon or early evening to help your digestive system and therefore, aiding you to relax.

"Before supper take a little walk, after supper do the same." - Erasmus said. Hippocrates seemed to agree:" Walking is a man's best medicine."

3. Avoid having a heavy meal before going to sleep because you might have problems digesting and it'll disturb your sleep. Also, you should know that alcohol, nicotine and caffeine close to bedtime are sure to prevent you from getting the sleep you need.
4. A place to sleep is a place to sleep. That means that all materials work related and the TV should be kept out of the bedroom and that we should reserve the sleeping place to just that, sleeping and nothing else.
5. Low light. It is known that in the presence of less light, the brain produces more melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that has been proven to help you feel sleepier, fall asleep faster, and make you sleep longer. So help it help you. How? Easy. By using room darkening shades or cheaper, put on a sleeping mask-it is equally effective.
6. Low noise level. So you have gotten used to the street noise or to your snoring boyfriend/girlfriend and now, you don't even hear them anymore. While you are convinced that these don't bother you anymore, you should know that they do affect the quality of your sleep. I know that for a fact as I used to live with a couple of friends that partied all night long. After a while, I would sleep on loud music and laughter having the impression that I have adjusted and that it doesn't affect me. Guess what? I would wake up in the morning more tired than I went to bed. A solution for things like that might be ear plugs. Also, some people think that white noise or soothing music are helpful if it's impossible to block out distracting sounds.
7. Do not check the clock. Experts say that if your sleep is interrupted and you check the time, it might only increase anxiety about getting enough sleep and make it harder to get back to sleep. Unfortunately, every time I wake up during the night for one reason or another, I check the time and calculate the number of hours remaining for sleep. Seems like I should stop doing that, right? And you should too.
8. Be comfortable. Be sure you sleep on the right mattress and that the pillows are giving the neck the right amount of support. You toss and turn all night long? These might be the causes. If this is the case of a pregnant woman, then she should try a body pillow, it is said to be just the thing to help you find the most comfortable sleep position.



I am sure that there are other "remedies" for not having enough sleep but these are all that I could find for the moment. And if you think that you sleep enough but still see dark circles under your eyes in the morning when you look in the mirror, then you might want to read the above mentioned. I shall conclude this article by wishing everyone a good sleep.