Improve Your Sleep And Watch Your Life Get Better (NAPSA)—Here’s eye-opening news: Onesimple lifestyle change can improve your cognitive functioning; decrease anx- iety, depression, anger and irritability; and even improve your libido! Just one change and you'll have more energy, be more productive andlikely improve the quality ofyourpersonal relationships. You could even improve your immunesystem and decrease your risk for weight gain, obe- sity, diabetes and heart disease, doctor visits andhospitalizations, leading to lower medical bills. Seem like a lot of work? Relax! The waytoget all these benefits is simple.Youjust need to get moresleep. el ad 4 For many Americans, that may seemeasier said than done. Richard Shane, Ph.D., developer of the Sleep Easily All-in-One fy) Sleep Kit, notes that be- havior changes known as Richard Jeep hygiene can help. Shane, For occasional or moderate sleep problems,try these stepsfirst: First,follow a regularsleep schedule. ‘That helps regulate your body clock so you can sleep. Next, try to avoid stimulating substanceslike caffeine, including chocolate andcaffeinated sodas, six hours before bedtime. Less obvious than caffeine is smoking and alcohol. If you smoke (don't!), avoid it close to bedtime, since nicotineis also a stimulant. Limit your alcohol consumption to one to two drinks perdayorless, and avoid alcohol altogether within three hours of bed- time. Whenyoudrinkright before bed, the alcohol wearsoffin the middleofthe night,causing you to wake up. Remember to drink enough water during the day, so you're notvery thirsty at bedtime.If you need to drink before bed orin the middleofthe night, drink small sips instead ofgulping. This way, you won't haveto get up again to use the bathroom, furtherinterrupting your sleep. Give your bodyseveralhours to digest. yourlast meal before bed. And during Life could be a dream—or atleast better—if you make sure you get enough sleep. During the day, try to nap less and exercise more,especially outdoors. Be- ing out in the sunlight for at least 15 minutesa day can help yousleep better that night. Sunlight is especially important during the winter, when days are shorter. Whenyou do goto bed, keep these tips in mindto optimize yourability to get a goodnight'ssleep. + Make sure your mattress is comfort- able and less than eight years old. + Keep the room dark and cool—about 67 degrees is comfortable for most people. Keep computers, TVs and work materials out of your bedroom so you mostly associate the place with sleep. Televisions, computers, cell phonesandtablets emit a blue-white light that interferes with yourbrain's productionof the sleep hormone mel- atonin. Stop using them half an hour orso before bed, wherever you keep them. Instead, slow downanhour before bed with a bath,a relaxing readora little stretching to ease yourself intorest. + Dimmer switches can help, too, to keepyour house lights soft and low in the evening. Worth the effort? Of course! One study by the AAA Foundationfor Traffic Safety found that car crashes re- sulting in injuries were 1.9 times more likely if the driver missed two hours of dinner or evening snacks, avoid any spicy sleep! Forreal help for insomnia from the ach, especially close to bedtime. wwwasleepeasily.com. foodsorfoodsthat can upset your stom- momentyour headhits thepillow,visit
