Sleep is an important part of any healthy lifestyle. On average, individuals should try to get 7 to 8 hours per night. Proper sleep can help someone strengthen their immune system against a cold or help them meet their weight lose goals. Losing even an hour of sleep can cause problems. Not getting enough sleep at night doesn’t just lead to a tired morning, it can cause: forgetfulness, irritability and increase your risk to certain health problems like heart disease or diabetes. Here are some tips to help improve your sleeping habits*:

• Go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning.
• Make sure your bedroom is quiet and dark.
• Only use your bed for sleep. For example, avoid watching TV from bed.
• Avoid eating large meals before bed.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed. Some may think drinking alcohol helps them sleep, but the quality of the sleep is poor.

There are many sleep behavior disorders that cause an inability to get the sleep and rest one needs to be healthy. A few that are most common are: sleep apnea, sleep talking, REM disorder, restless leg syndrome, general pain and atypical work schedules. These are common areas of sleep disorder and can be discussed with a medical professional. However, having good sleep habits is the best way to make one feel rested and refreshed in the morning.

*Learn more at:

www.americanhealthcenterltd.com

www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics

www.mayoclinic.org