fell asleep...........

 ‘I  wish I fell asleep’, again ‘I spent  a few days  without  sleeping’, or ‘I  have to take  regular  sleeping  pills  because I can’t sleep’, ‘I  wake up many nights, so  it is too  late to  get up  the next day’  neither is  healthy.  It  is not  right to  become  dependent on  sleeping  pills  because you  are not getting  enough sleep.  There are  some  rules for  healthy sleep.  This is called 'sleep hygiene'.  Adherence to sleep hygiene will  lead to  normal sleep.  Regular  daily  normal sleep  helps in controlling  various  long term  diseases  including blood  pressure and diabetes.  It  also  increases the  quality  of work in  daily life.

                               

 Rules of Slip Hygiene

 Avoid staying  awake at  night and  sleeping  during the day.  This  causes  problems with the ‘circadian rhythm’ or  body clock, which makes  thinking and  behavior abnormal.  The  mood  becomes irritable.  Remember, the day is for  work, the  night is for sleep.  So  no matter how  much  work there is, it  has to be  done  before nightfall.

 Try to sleep at a  certain time  each day and  wake up at a  certain time;  Even on holidays.

 It is  better  not to take ‘Bhatghum’ (NAP)  during that day,  but  if you have to take it, it  is not  more than 30 minutes.

 • Do  not roll  on the  bed or  sofa  during the day, do  not  develop the  habit of  reading magazines or books,  watching TV or  eating  while  lying in  bed.  Use the  bed  only for  sleeping.

 Walk or swim or cycle  adequately  during the day.  You  can also do  aerobic  exercise.  However,  it is  better  not to  exercise  too much  before going to  bed at  night.

 Avoid  drinking tea and  coffee after sunset.  Eat  less heavy non-digestible  food at  night.  Don't  go to  bed after  eating, take  at least  two hours  break  between dinner and going to  bed.

 Stop  using  mobile phone, TV,  computer or  laptop  at least 2 hours  before going to  bed.

  The  bedroom  environment  should be conducive to sleep, the  bed  should be comfortable.  Avoid  excessive  light or pitch dark, both.  Make  sure the room  is not too  cold or too hot.  If you do  not use AC,  provide  adequate ventilation.  Do  not use too  high or stiff pillows.

 After the evening,  if you take a  bath in  warm water,  you will sleep  better.  However, do  not take a  bath at  night.

 Do  not  look at the clock  repeatedly  because sleep  is not coming.  Instead,  get up and  read a  book or  listen to a song.

 Say ‘sleep  is not coming’ — Never take  sleeping  pills  without  doctor’s advice.  Never take  more than  the amount  of medicine your  doctor tells you to take.  Depression,  anxiety and  other  reasons can  cause sleep  problems.  Consult  a specialist if sleep  problems are long-term.