From MSN.COM:
Six tips for optimal sleep
Running around frantically just before slamming your head onto your pillow is not an effective way to achieve optimal sleep patterns for most people. Getting into a pattern of consistent, optimal sleep takes some time and can be greatly helped by following some basic sleep hygiene tips. Take a look at the list below and consider integrating a few into your routine for the next week to see if you can complete the following optimal-sleep challenge: Fall asleep within five minutes of lying down, sleep through the night without waking, and rise the next morning feeling rested and refreshed.
1. Shut down your computer and turn off your cell phone and television 30 minutes prior to sleep. Create an environment that is quiet and calm.
2. Remove stimulants (television, stereo, computer, bright lights) from your sleeping area. Keep the bedroom clear from clutter — remove any unnecessary furniture, piles of clothes, papers and books so things are kept out of sight and the space looks and feels calm and simple.
3. Make sure your sleeping area is as dark and quiet as possible. Consider a fan or other source of white noise to create a consistent environment.
4. Keep a notebook and writing utensil next to the bed. Use them to clear racing thoughts, calm the mind and promote peaceful sleep.
5. Dab a drop of essential oil behind the ears. It should be a scent you’ve chosen only for sleep time, not something you might associate with your shampoo, dryer sheets, hand lotion, etc. The idea is to associate this scent with the sensation of feeling relaxed and tired.
6. Establish a set sleeping time and try your best to stick to it — even if your work schedule requires that you work odd hours and even if that means you’re sleeping each day from 1 a.m. to 9 a.m.
