News You Can Use
Employ sleep strategies to catch sufficient ZZZZZs
University Relations
News Bureau (662) 325-3442
Contact: Dustin Barnes
April 7, 2004
STARKVILLE, Miss.--It’s the night before the big meeting and you’re lying in bed, unable to sleep. In frustration, the mind begins to wander and wonder what can be done to fall asleep.
Every good sleeper should have a good sleep routine, says Jennifer Fuller, health educator at Mississippi State University’s Longest Student Health Center. “It’s important to get up at the same time and go to bed at the same time every day,” she adds.
Napping during the day becomes a nighttime problem only if naps last longer than two hours. “Catching an hour’s nap during the day shouldn’t interfere with a person’s regular sleep schedule,” she observes.
To approach sleep in the healthiest possible manner, she recommends:
—Getting an average eight hours of sleep each night. Fuller says it’s a myth that older folks need less sleep: “The quality of sleep decreases as you age, and therefore you actually need more sleep.”
—Creating a pre-bedtime routine. This 15-minute “wind-down time” can involve such activities as selecting clothes for the next day or the brushing and flossing of teeth.
—Associating bed with sleep rather than watching television, paying bills or similar activities. Complete those activities somewhere else.
—Completing exercise routines at least three hours before bedtime.
—Limiting caffeine intake and nicotine use throughout the day—and especially two hours before bedtime.