Early to Bed by Ellie Krieger

More on going to bed early ... extreme self care!

Less-than-stellar-quality sleep is a common complaint — 7 in 10 people say they experience frequent sleep problems. Yet there are a variety of ways to improve your sleep. Going to bed and getting up at the same time each day will help set your body clock. Today I want you to decide what time you're going to go to sleep — and follow through with it.
To ensure that you stick to your bedtime, it's important not to schedule stimulating activities right up until your last waking moment. For example, most of us spend the last hour before bed watching TV several nights a week. While certain programs may be relaxing, catching up on financial news or watching a violent drama may make you more prone to tossing and turning. Likewise, a heavy meal late at night is likely to affect your sleep because your body will be busy digesting it. So do yourself a favor and cut back on TV and large meals before bed. Instead, create a wind-down routine to help yourself relax and be ready for a restful night's sleep when the time comes.
Your bedtime routine might mean taking a warm bath or curling up with a favorite book for a few minutes. There's some truth to a warm bath helping to produce restful sleep — your body temperature drops after the bath, which makes you feel relaxed and sleepy. If you're hungry, a light snack is fine; milk or a carbohydrate snack will help relax you.
A bedtime ritual need not be anything extravagant — just come up with a routine that will tell your body it's time to get ready for sleep. Stick to your bedtime, and set your alarm (if you use one) for the same time every morning — you'll sleep better in the long run.