Some Guidelines to Improve Sleep

"A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything."

Dr Abe V Rotor 

Living with Nature School on Blog [avrotor.blogspot.com]

Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid (People's School-on-Air) with Ms Melly C Tenorio Velasco

738 DZRB AM Band, 8 to 9 evening class Monday to Friday

1. Expose yourself to sunlight. Bright sunlight helps regulate melatonin and your sleep-wake cycles. Try to get at least two hours of sunlight a day.

2. Regular physical exercise during the day can promote good sleep. Exercise releases endorphins that can boost your mood and reduce stress, depression, and anxiety.
3. Positive mood and outlook can reduce sleep problems. 

4. Naps as short as five minutes can improve alertness and certain memory processes. Best is 15-45 minutes for most people.  

5. Anxiety or sadness can also keep you awake, which can, in turn, cause more anxiety or depression. Be strong in will and spirit.  

6. Limit your intake of caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. These are stimulants and they interfere with the quality of your sleep.

7. Engage in social activities, family affairs, and work that keep your activity level up and conducive to prepare your body for a good night’s sleep.

8. Just don't lie in bed and try to force yourself to sleep. Eventually your body will learn not to sleep. and this learned response can remain.

9. Make your bedroom quiet, dark, and cool, and your bed comfortable. Noise, light, and heat can cause sleep problems. Don't work in your bedroom.  Don't watch TV or use computer in your bedroom.

10. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Go to bed earlier to allow you to adjust with your your feeling to go to sleep. 

11. Develop bedtime rituals, say warm bath, prayer, playing soothing music.  

12. Pain can keep you from sleeping well, so with many health conditions like a frequent urination, arthritis, asthma, diabetes, osteoporosis, menopause, and Alzheimer's. Seek medical advice.

13.Limit use of sleeping aids and sleeping pills. Take these only on doctor's advice. These have side effects and are not meant for long-term use. Sleeping pills don’t address the causes of insomnia and can even make insomnia worse in the long run.

14. For married people, sex and sleep (SS) make a restful night and refreshing morning.

15. Keep a simple list of reminders of do's and don'ts, medicine you take, exercise schedule, calendared activities, medical checkup, etc. Some people keep a journal to record worries and concerns before they retire.  They even include a check list of  tasks accomplished for the day, list of  goals for tomorrow, and then go to bed. Personally I think it is better to unload the mind before hitting the bed like a log.  

The computer is robbing precious waking hours of the young, and has radically changed their sleeping habit, too.  


Assignment: Add more to this list, based on your own experience, and share with your family, friends, and community.  Why don't you attend a workshop on how to improve sleep? It's a good research paper you can present in school. 

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As we age we often experience normal changes in our sleeping patterns. We may become sleepy earlier, wake up earlier, or enjoy less deep sleep. Although these changes are a normal part of aging, disturbed sleep, waking up tired every day, and other symptoms of insomnia are not a normal part of aging. Sleep is just as important to our physical and emotional health over the age of 50 as it was when we were younger.  - Health Guide.Org

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