1. Make a Schedule
• The most important thing you can do is to set a schedule for waking and going to bed, and then to try and follow this schedule as closely as possible. If you can do this, your body will naturally begin to adapt its circadian rhythm to this schedule, and will begin slowing, or waking, your body on its own.
• Getting into this schedule may take some practice. To assist preparation for bed, start a routine of relaxing activities just prior to bed time. It could be something as simple as reading or watching television for thirty minutes. This will give you time to unwind and it will also send your body a signal that you are about to begin going to sleep.
• A bio light/ alarm clock may also help. These light clock combinations help simulate daylight and sunset. You can set the light to come on 15 minutes to 90 minutes before you actually are supposed to rise. The light gradually coming on simulates sunrise and your body is more easily roused from bed.
2. Watch what you put in your body
• Some might consider this a no-brainer, but the things you consume during the day have a tremendous affect on your night’s sleep. And so monitoring the substances that enter your body can go a long way in keeping a healthy circadian rhythm. Caffeine is the most obvious example of this. If you notice yourself unable to sleep at night you may want to lower the amount of caffeine filled drinks, like coffee or soda, that you drink everyday. Or you could set a certain time everyday to cut yourself off from these substances. Watch how much you eat and drink too. It’s hard not to do during special occasions, but try not to over eat and over drink. You won’t sleep well if you do either.
3. Exercise
• Try to get in a small workout every day. Even as little as thirty minutes will not only get you in better shape but it will help relieve stress and help you face the holiday challenges. It is important though to give your body ample time to relax after a workout. So plan several hours of downtime in between finishing your workout and your scheduled time for bed.
4. Have the right mindset
• Attempting to fall asleep should be a time for you to unwind and stop worrying. So you shouldn’t be using this time to worry about the little things that happened throughout your day.
• Oftentimes, the anxiety a person has over not being able to fall asleep can directly aid their insomnia. “If I go to bed now I’ll have eight hours of sleep… five hours… three… etc.” Instead of lying there worrying, get up and try doing something relaxing. Put on the television, read a book, attempt a crossword, anything you can do to stop fretting is a benefit.
While some of these tips might not be possible every day with your busy schedule, finding ways to keep a balanced circadian rhythm is an essential part to preserving your mental and physical health. So if you find yourself getting stressed out over the next couple of weeks, put down the cocktail drink, you’ll lose REM sleep anyway, and see if maybe you can help improve your sleeping patterns.
Weight Loss Centers, Inc. is located at 24775 McBean Parkway, Suite 108 in Valencia. For more information, please call 1-800-GET-THIN(953-5000) or 661-753-9000.