Sleep Soundly

You feel your eyelids getting heavier and heavier. It's on 3 o' clock and you still haven't completed your to-do list. Admittedly, you didn't sleep for very long last night... or the night before, and the coffee just isn't keeping you up through the day anymore no matter how many cups you drink. It's time to sort out your sleeping situation and get a better night's sleep. Forget about sleeping pills. Here are 10 tips to sleep better naturally at night.

Kiss those tired bags under your eyes goodbye by trying these ten tips for sleeping soundly at night.

1. Remove or turn off the television in your bedroom. Watching the TV keeps your mind active when you should be winding down before bed. I mean, do you really want to be dreaming about the horror movie or saddening wonderful romantic comedy  you were just watching?
2. Create a nightly routine. Doing the same thing before bed every night mentally prepares your body for sleep. I like having no/low sugar tea sans caffeine, brushing my teeth, reading a book, then praying before bed.If I do that uninterrupted, I'm usually just fine. If not, it's nothing that a book can't help to finish me off and put me to bed.
3. Don't eat right before bed. Your body will be working to process the food and not be at rest. Click here to find out the foods that help or harm your sleep.
4. Turn the lights down low... or off! I'm not going to get scientific here talking about light vibrations. On a simplistic level, it helps to clear your mind. Visualize something relaxing and calming to massage your mind until you fall asleep.
5. Mid afternoon napping great but be pragmatic. It's not a nap when it's lasting three hours. Set your alarm to wake you up after 20 to 30 minutes. You need to be back in bed and sleeping soundly in a few hours. Remember?
6. Breathe deeply. Yes, I'm serious. It really does help. I'm really not the super-spiritual type who tells you to "ohm" every time you come across a difficult situation. Just picture the lights of and being one with your thoughts for a quiet moment. Imagine breathing deeply and  emptying your mind of all the day's junk and picture yourself at the beach. I've had many mini vacations on this low-budget type of getaway. 
7. Exercise. Get it in during the late afternoon or early evening. A good jog or walk should be a great after-work exercise.  This link tells you more about how exercise affects sleep.
8. Bye bye bottle. A little alchohol may help put you to sleep but it does the body no good int he resting department. 
9. Wake early. Waking early allows you the time to get up slowly and enjoy the morning instead of instantly tiring yourself out by jumping out of bed and racing to get through the door.  
10. Get comfy. Sleeping in discomfort can really affect your nightly sleep. Find a position that doesn't feel uncomfortable or put pressure on any part of your body, otherwise, you'll be tossing and turning all night until you find a comfortable position. Use added cushioning like pillows and comforters. Use them to support your neck, waist, back or whatever! If it's in the budget, you can buy things like ergonomic pillows.