1. Take a power a nap
“So what makes a power nap effective? Think of it as an investment with the greatest return in the least amount of time, a kind of super-efficient sleep that fits nicely in a high-pressure schedule: say, between business meetings or in the minutes before a game.”
2. Mama was right: Drink warm milk
“If your mother used to give you a cup of warm milk before sending you off to bed, she had the right idea. Dairy foods are a good source of tryptophan, an amino acid that your body converts to melatonin and serotonin –” both of which are thought to induce sleep.”
3. Say no to drugs
“Certain medications can interfere with normal sleep patterns. Following is a list of drugs that can cause insomnia.”
4. Keep the socks on
“Instead of counting sheep, the next time you have trouble sleeping, try putting socks on your feet. A researcher says people with chronically cold feet might drift off faster if they warm their feet with socks or a hot water bottle.”
5. Become an early riser
“It–™s hard to become an early riser using the wrong strategy. But with the right strategy, it–™s relatively easy.”
6. Get an adjustable bed
“We tested a truckload of mattresses, sheets, blankets, and pillows to identify the ultimate combination for catching serious shut-eye. And for those occasional stare-at-the-ceiling emergencies, we also picked the best over-the-counter sleep supplement and prescription sleeping pill. Adjustable beds were the clear winner due to the ability to customize the bed to suit your perfect sleeping position.”
7. Ditch your alarm clock
“Fingernails screeching down a blackboard, the shrill tones of the Emergency Alert System: few things are as obnoxious as an alarm clock. Human beings have survived for most of our history without these confounded noisemakers–”why would you need one now?”
8. Makeover your bedroom
“It seems the bedroom is often neglected in lieu of updating more “public” areas of the home. However, the bedroom environment has a major impact on the quality and quantity of sleep. Improving it should be a top priority.”
9. Work out regularly
“Findings from a recent Stanford University Medical School study may come as no surprise: older and middle-age people reported sleeping better when they added regular exercise to their routine. After 16 weeks in a moderate intensity exercise program, subjects were able to fall asleep about 15 minutes earlier and sleep about 45 minutes longer at night.”
10. Wear an eye bra
This super-advanced eye mask blocks out all light to help you sleep in any environment. But it looks like a bra for your eye.
