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Steps to A Good Night's Rest
from -Reader's
Digest.com
Sleep well tonight with these important tips
If you can only do three things, do these to get a good night's
sleep, says Helene A. Emsellem, M.D., director of the Center for
Sleep & Wake Disorders in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and an associate
clinical professor of neurology at George Washington University
Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
1. Allow one hour before bedtime for a
relaxing activity. Watching the news or answering e-mails does
not count! Better choices are reading or listening to soft music.
As for sex...well, some people say it just wakes them up and they
have trouble sleeping afterward. So factor this into the timing
of your bedtime routine.
2. If your mind is relaxed but your body
is tense, do some low-intensity stretches and exercises to relax
your muscles, especially those in your upper body, neck, and shoulders.
Before you get into bed, use light weights (3 to 5 pounds for
women, 5 to 10 pounds for men) to calmly exercise these muscles.
Do one set of 8 to 10 repetitions of a basic exercise for each
upper body muscle. We call this "automassage."
3. Allow at least three hours between dinner
and bedtime. The brain does not sleep well on a full stomach.
If you know that you have a busy day planned the following day,
have your big meal at lunchtime and a lighter meal as early as
possible in the evening. If you find you are still hungry before
bedtime, try one of the many protein-enriched power bars (without
chocolate) for your bedtime snack.
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