1. Get regular exposure to daylight, especially in the afternoon. (Research shows that night-shift workers can improve daytime sleep by working under bright lights.)
2. Prior to bedtime, use dimmer switches or turn off a few lamps to lower the lighting in your home or apartment.
3. Don’t allow yourself to nod off on the sofa. When you start feeling drowsy, get up and go to bed.
4. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex. Don’t make it a satellite office, study hall or entertainment center.
5. When you can’t sleep, try using imagery and thoughts to relax. Deep-breathing techniques also work.
6. If you haven’t dropped off within about 20 minutes, get out of bed and read or engage in some other quiet activity. Go back to bed when you get sleepy.
7. Put the alarm clock out of sight. Clock watching doesn’t help you sleep -- it may even keep you awake!
8. Sleep specialists recommend lying on your back or on your side, not your stomach.
9. Get Fido and Fluffy their own comfy beds. In a study conducted by the Mayo Clinic, half the people surveyed had their sleep disturbed by pets.
10. Only take over-the-counter sleep aids as an occasional emergency measure. You can build up a tolerance to them very quickly. If you can find yourself relying on them, see your doctor. ZT