12 Tips for a Better Night's Sleep

Michael Breus, AOL Wellness Coach and author of the book 'Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health,' says a more restful night of sleep will give you more energy, help you lose weight and make you look younger.

Get Cool

Sleep in a cool environment. The ideal sleeping temperature is between 65 and 72 degrees. A mild drop in body temperature often induces sleep, which is why lying in a cool bed after a hot bath is so relaxing.

Reduce Your Anxiety Before Bed

Hide illuminated clocks from view to avoid clock-watching.
Avoid eating within three hours of bedtime.
Alcohol, tobacco and caffeine can exacerbate anxiety. Avoid these before bedtime.

Consider Possible Allergies

Look at pillows, sheets, fabric softeners and detergents, pets in the bed, dust, mold, perfume and so on, that can affect the bedroom environment. All of these can cause congestion, which can worsen snoring.

Watch the Caffeine

Get in tune with how your body responds to caffeine and make adjustments so that it's less likely to disrupt your sleep. Some people can drink several cups of coffee, tea or soft drinks within an hour of sleep and notice no effects, whereas others may feel stimulating effects after one cup.

Make Some Noise

Use a white noise machine or CD that is soothing to you. A cheaper alternative is to set the tuner of your FM radio between any two stations. The pseudo white noise you'll hear will do wonders to mask unwanted sounds. Ceiling fans or stand-alone fans can also provide a constant hum that can be sleep-friendly.

Let Each Other Sleep

Find your sleep schedule. With different work hours, social schedules and general lifestyles, couples typically need to go to bed and wake up at different times on different days. The trick is to maintain separate bedtimes and waking schedules without either one disturbing the other's sleep.

Prepare to Sleep

Relax before bedtime. Stress not only makes you miserable, it wreaks havoc on your sleep. Develop some kind of pre-sleep ritual like reading, light stretching or taking a hot bath to break the connection between all the day's stress and bedtime. These rituals can be as short as 10 minutes.

Make It Dark

Cover your windows. Consider blackout shades or heavy drapes -- these can also dampen sounds. Don't forget to use a drape clip, which will securely close the two sides of the drapery. (Start out by using a "chip clip," which works just as well.)

Rest Your Head

Buy a new pillow. If every night you scrunch up your pillow and fold it in half like a neck-roll just to get it to fit comfortably underneath your head, you're in dire need of a new pillow. If your pillow is dirty, stained, torn or if it smells bad, you also need a new bed pillow.

Set the Mood

Keep high-wattage lights away from the bedroom. Install low-wattage lights anywhere near the bed or add dimmers to all the switches and set the mood for sleep two to three hours before you retire.

Take a Nap

The 20-minute power nap has been talked about for years, but napping doesn't have to be so confined. You can gain a lot of benefits from as little as five minutes, and as much as two or more hours (but, please, no more than three). If you have real trouble sleeping at night, though, it's a no-napping policy during the day.

Evaluate Your Mattress

Test your mattress. If it hasn't been turned (rotated if it's a pillow top mattress) in a year, do it now. If it's older than seven years, it's time to buy a new one.

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