5 Tips & 5 Giveaways to Improve Your Sleep

   By SheSpeaksTeam  Jan 10, 2012
264

Boost your mood, improve your resolve and regulate your eating habits with some extra zzz's. 

Do you pay attention to how much sleep you get each night or do you sometimes cheat yourself from valuable sleep time?  Sleep is not just vital for regular functions it's also important to help us with stress management and reducing daytime fatigue. 

If you gave yourself some new diet and fitness resolutions this year or you're working to cut back or quit a habit, you should include extra sleep in your plan.  It will help improve your mood when you are feeling deprived and increase your resolve to meet that goal.  Many people make bad food choices when they are tired.  Do you want to be sharp and full of energy every day?  Well, it may be easier to achieve than you may think.  How you feel while you are awake, greatly depends on how you sleep.

If you struggle to get a good night of sleep you are not alone.  Some people find it difficult to sleep through the night without at least one bout of restlessness or running to the bathroom. Others find it difficult to fall asleep or wake up in the morning.  According to a recent SheSpeaks poll 62.8% of you said you sleep poorly during these days of shorter daylight. 17.5% reported having continuous sleep problems. Many of the problems that make it difficult to sleep are emotional or environmental. Reducing these factors will help your ability to sleep through the night.

Some simple sleep strategies can be essential for a deep sleep. Here are our five sleep-promoting techniques to enhance the quality of sleep you get:

  1. Keep a regular sleep schedule: Go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time every day.
  2. Create a relaxing bedtime routine: Keep noise down with a sound machine or fan and keep your room slightly cool (around around 65° F).
  3. Exercise regularly: 30mins of activity anytime during the day will help you sleep more deeply. You can also do stretches before bed.
  4. Eat right: Avoid large meals at night, cut down on caffeine after lunch, and refrain from drinking alcohol before bed. Alcohol will create a restless sleep waking you up 4-5hours in. If you want a light snack around bedtime aim for a low-sugar cereal, granola or banana.
  5. Read at bedtime: Watching TV before bed stimulates your brain and therefore wakes you up. Reading a book is both non-stimulating and will keep you out of your head, helping you avoid stressing and planning the next day.

Most importantly, remember to make sleep a priority. Instead of cutting back on it for other tasks you have to complete, schedule it on your list. Having a good night rest will lay the foundation for a more productive, creative day.

Do you have certain products you use to help relax and get comfortable for a good night's sleep, maybe a clock, or super soft bedding, a favorite bath product or a good book?  Whatever you use to get ready for bed we'd like to hear your recommendations.

If you share your reviews and recommendations this week you'll be entered for a chance to win one of our giveaway prizes. Submit your favorite sleep, slumber or relaxation product to SheSpeaks Reviews OR add a comment to this blog post by 6pm EST on January 16th, 2011. You can enter a review AND a comment and you will have two entries to win!

review

 Prizes:



Philips Wake-up Light


S2H STEP Pedometer (3 winners)


Lavender Chamomile Bubble
Bath by Deep Steep

 

The contest starts January 10, 2012 and ends January 16, 2012, at 6:00 p.m. Must be a US resident. No purchase necessary.

GOOD LUCK!

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Comments
Tracygil by Tracygil | Peabody, MA
Jan 12, 2012

I get a good amount of sleep but am often still tired in the morning. I do wake up a couple times a night but usually fall back to sleep pretty quickly. Any one else struggle with this?

jjsurvey52 by jjsurvey52 | Warren, MI
Jan 12, 2012

I just started drinking a tea that has lavender, St. John's wart, and lemon grass. It helps to relax my body and puts my mind at ease. I then pick up a book and am asleep in no time!

Tiffany02809 by Tiffany02809 | dorchester, MA
Jan 12, 2012

I love to sleep, I have to admit it. The best part of the weekend is to sleep in, it helps me have a better work week, so in order to get a good night sleep a must have is blackout curtains. Bed Bath and Beyond has a line called' "Sound Asleep" which Is also a energy saver (wink, wink). The curtains keep the whole bedroom dark so I get the sleep I need without the morning sun waking me up early. Besides the curtains another must have is the Tide Simple Pleasure line with Lavender scent. It comes in Laudnry detergent and dryer sheets. They make your sheets smell so nice and the smell lasts for days. I love it. For a good nights sleep: Wash your sheets, pillow cases and covers, hang your curtains, And when it is almost time for bed, get a cup of tea or hot chocolate now that it is winter with marshmallows and relax with a movie or book and fall asleep happy with the smell of Tides Simple Pleasure lavender and stay asleep with your black out curtains. Enjoy.

nicholemhenson by nicholemhenson | GOSHEN, NY
Jan 12, 2012

Whenever I have a hard time relaxing enough to sleep, I will either have a glass of wine or some good old' chamomile tea! Reading also helps too!

Austinaunt by Austinaunt | Chicago, IL
Jan 12, 2012

I take an Epsom salt bath, and add lavender oil to the bath, for the smell. It makes me feel like "buttah!" I can almost fall asleep in the tub with that combo. Then I slide into flannel pjs, onto fleece sheets and whammo. Out like a light. The Epsom salt is the key. The rest is just fun. It's my ritual.

madkinson by madkinson | Flomaton, AL
Jan 11, 2012

Getting enough sleep is def a problem I have. However, I have a 4 month old, so waking at night is par for the course. But, you have some great tips for getting some extra sleep that I should def try! Thanks!

kim4249 by kim4249 | Pratt, KS
Jan 11, 2012

I take a nice warm shower and use ivory soap, it smells so good and seems to really relax me and when I get out of the shower I rub on Johnson's Bodycare Deep Hydrating Lotion for dry skin, it smells really good and it relaxes me too and me and my husband always sleep with the box fan on every night to drown out sound and it is also relaxing to listen to and helps us sleep real good.

Kajack by Kajack | MOODY, AL
Jan 11, 2012

My husband really struggles with sleep. Here are a few things that help him: He steps away from tv and computer at least an hour before bedtime, and reads with a soft light. Bedtime at the same time every night, up at the same time every morning. When he wakes in the night, sometimes a warm bath or some lavender oil helps.

pokergirl by pokergirl | FRESNO, CA
Jan 11, 2012

I know it's weird to some people, but the tv actually helps me fall asleep. When I just lay here, that's when my thoughts start going and I get worked up even more because my brain won't shut down. A good light hearted comedy laying here in bed is my way of winding down.

ktd123 by ktd123 | Cary, NC
Jan 11, 2012

I read each night before bed, nothing electronic is used a minimum of 30 minutes before bed. I also journal about my day. Very relaxing and easy to fall asleep.

alihannam by alihannam | washington, IL
Jan 11, 2012

i need to implement these...at 13 wks pregnant...i am finding sleep is more difficult....this couldnt have come at a better time

alihannam by alihannam | washington, IL
Jan 11, 2012

i need to implement these...at 13 wks pregnant...i am finding sleep is more difficult....this couldnt have come at a better time

shonvic1981 by shonvic1981 | GRAND PRAIRIE, TX
Jan 11, 2012

I have found it hard for me to go to sleep as my shift was changed on my job. I would love to win the bubble bath and wake up light. I found when I take a hot bubble bath with lavender and put a sheet over my windows to block out light. I can sleep better.

joella50 by joella50 | Newington, CT
Jan 11, 2012

I have found that soft sheets, and body pillow and two cotton comforters and I go to dreamland in a flash.

kazsi13 by kazsi13 | THOMPSONVILLE, MI
Jan 11, 2012

I was having horrible back problems that didn't permit me to sleep. It turns out I had hypothyroidism and a Vitamin D deficiency. Both of those things can cause muscle pains on their own - together? Major back problems. I got on the right prescription/vitamin regime, and got fitted for orthotics in my shoes (turns out I have slight scoliosis as well). All of these things helped tremendously. I've gone all out since this summer when we discovered my ailments and the cures. I've also replaced my mattress, purchased lovely, soft organic sheets with a high thread count, and set the right atmosphere in my room. I burn a lavender soy candle each night, and keep an overhead fan spinning for white noise. I try to read my Bible each night before lights out, and this helps to calm down just before I sleep.