What a Night!

How's this for a night?

Slept two hours and woke up remembering that I didn't order lunch for the day and the order can't be put in after 9:00 AM.  Do you think I could sleep with that on my mind?  I got up and got on the computer and placed my order.

Back to bed.

Then I remembered that I didn't take the fish out of the freezer to defrost for supper.  I got up again and took the fish out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator.

Back to bed.

Then I couldn't sleep because my feet were cold.  Really.  I got up and put on socks.

Z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z...

Sleeping

Tomorrow I'll give a presentation on "sleep," at T.O.P.S.  Sleep affects your health, and therefore your weight.  Of course, you can't eat when you're asleep.  So there you go!

But you can't make yourself sleep, any more than you can make yourself fly.  But here are my hints:

Keep to a schedule. Same time to bed and rise.

No light in the room--not a clock--not a night light--not a crack in the shade.

Take a bath or shower before going to bed.  Make that a habit, you'll sleep better.

Don't eat or drink a couple of hours before.

Read in bed but don't watch TV in bed (Light will excite you.)

Go to the bathroom before bed.

Keep a pad of paper and a pen on your bedside table.

Keep a bottle of water next to the bed.

Keep tissues next to the bed.

Say your prayers.

If you do wake up to go to the bathroom, that's normal.  Go, and go back to bed.  If you don't fall back to sleep in 30 minutes get up and read.  Get cozy on the couch and you may fall asleep, there. So what?  You're asleep.

You need 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Some people find naps valuable but more than an hour may interrupt your sleeping routine. 

Don't worry if you find yourself spending a few sleepless nights.  It's probably stress, anxiety, your medicine, or you're coming down with a cold. Just try to ignore it and stick to the routine.

Nighty night.