Recommendations for a sound sleep

• Keep a regular sleep-wake cycle, i.e. go to bed get up at similar times or at fixed times, even on weekends.


• Go to bed only if you are tired. If you can’t find sleep within half an hour, rather get up and do progressive muscle relaxation after Jacobsen.


• Slip out of the day slowly. Don’t take problems into the night to solve or to brood over, rather make a note for the next day and then pick up the problems again.


• Watching TV is often unfavorably.


• Develop rituals: - e.g. evening bath, not too strenuous with additives such as Valerian, Melissa, orange blossom, about 2 hours before the bed go, - or the famous glass of hot milk, do a fantasy trip.


• Avoid tea and coffee in the afternoon; this may also include chocolate, ginger, chili, and others.


• Late snack of carbohydrates, such as bananas, dates (serotonin), green salad.


• Give up smoking, especially no smoking at night.


• Avoid alcohol and certain drugs (Tranquillizer and barbiturates).


• Daily exercise, but not within the last two hours before you go to bed, no extreme sports during the evening.


• Avoid cold feet to, for example by a warm foot bath.


• Keep dream diary.


• No napping during the day (go sleepers can benefit from a nap during the day or a siesta, however.


• The mattress should be pleasant, and therefore must have individually different hardness and perfectly adapt to the shape the body in different positions. Think also of the possibility of a water bed.


• Prepare the room for sleeping: - dark, cool, - quiet, - put off the heating, - fresh air, - lavender pillow, - no TV - the color blue.


• Don’t count sheep or spell backwards Czechoslovakia.


• You may try Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy (4. Wiener school): try to stay awake (and you will fall asleep).


• Turn the dial of the clock away.


• Exchange a loud ticking clock.


• If you must get up at night but, avoid bright light.

PS. I've just read: in "Never give a Sucker an even break", W.C. Fields is ooffering a cure for insomnia: "Get plenty of sleep". Goof luck!

07.11.2013