Everyone has a different sleep pattern and needs. You may be an early to bed, early to rise type, or you may be someone who works or stays up all night and sleeps during the day. You can train your biological clock  to expect sleep at the same approximate time every 24 hours, but it takes time for your body to adjust, so you should stick to the same routine as much as possible, INCLUDING WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS. Time of day serves as a powerful cue to your body clock that it is time to sleep and awaken. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, and it will be easier and easier to fall asleep. However tempting it may be, try not to break this routine on weekends when you may want to stay up much later or sleep in. Your overall sleep will be better if you don’t. But remember, you should be getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep every night, so build that into your daily routine.

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Today’s tip is to make sure you sleep in a very dark room. Light is one of the body’s most powerful time cues. Any light while you are trying to sleep can cue your body that it is time to stop sleeping. A dark room is the most conducive for sleep – day or night. Even a night light or light from the bathroom can disrupt your normal sleep cycle. Darkness is also required for your body to maximize its production of melatonin, which protects your immune system. So make sure that your room is completely dark.  It’s okay if your room lets in natural light as the sun rises as this will let you awake naturally, but you want to eliminate as much light as possible during your normal sleep cycle.

Comment on this post by clicking on the title, or email the author at dennis@healthjag.com