Hopefully this list will give you not only information, but incentive to pursue a drug free sleep. There are more ways than these top 10 ways to sleep easier, but these are some of the more agreed upon ways by a variety of experts.

These are not necessarily in order from "worst" to "best or vice versa so don't read to much into the order. All of them are good in different ways and will effect each person to a different degree. You may need to do some trial and error to find which ones are best for you.

The first stop in our top 10 things that help you sleep is food. Most of us like to eat, but there are some foods that help promote sleep and some that actually can cause you to be alert. Knowing which is which can help you not only get sleep, but avoid accidently waking up your system before bed. I won't give the exhaustive list here, but some examples. Foods with tryptophan, an amino acid, helps the body produce the necessary brain chemicals to induce sleep. The most famous example is Turkey followed by milk, almonds, etc. There is some truth to the home remedy of a glass of warm milk before bed. Milk not only contains tryptophan, but some minerals that help the body make use of it.

What to avoid? The obvious is things that have caffeine in them like coffee, non-herbal teas, colas, etc. Also, that piece of chocolate cake in the evening may be hurting you too. Chocolate has some caffeine and high amounts of sugar may signal the body to wake up.

Next in our top 10 ways to sleep easier is exercise. In addition to some regular cardio workouts a few days a week it may be good to do some light exercises that stretch muscles and help release stress. Heavy workouts too close to bedtime may actually wake you up, but some stretching exercises or a light walk may help you unwind, dump stress and calm your mind. It also releases brain chemicals that make you feel better and boost mood...all of which can help you sleep better.

Third thing on our list is herbal teas. Particularly teas with Chamomile in them. This herb is a natural sleep inducer. It works with the brain to help relax the body and begin the process of shutting things down for the night. As with anything herbal this effects each person differently.

Number four is do a relaxing activity like listen to music that is soothing or read something light...not to heavy or stimulating. Play a card game or whatever helps you unwind and dump stress. What not to do is watch too much TV close to bed (or in bed), this can actually get your mind going.

Five on the top 10 things that help you sleep list is tackle one thing off your to-do list. If you've been needing to clean up the dishes or pick up the bedroom floor then set aside time to do so before bed. The sense of accomplishment plus not having that hanging over your head helps some people be able to sleep better. Sometimes our minds are running through the to-do list even if we're not conscious about it. Clearing something off the list can signal the mind to relax things are getting taken care of.

Six, avoid conversations/situations that get you angry or stressed. How many times do you find yourself getting into a conversation with a loved one about finances, work, kids, etc. right before bed. It always seems to happen that we have important conversations (ones that tend to stress or get our brains going) at the end of the day. It is hard to transition from this to sleep. Try to get the hard stuff dealt with earlier or make a note of it and talk about it the next day. You'll probably have a better conversation too if you get some sleep first anyway.

Seven on the top 10 ways to sleep easier: Similar to the last comment. Make a list. In addition to poor conversation choice, we often seem to start thinking about everything under the sun that needs our attention when we're needing to get to sleep. Fear that we'll forget it if we don't deal with it, talk about it, etc. right then can keep us up. Take pen and paper in hand and right it down. Make a note and then you don't have to worry about forgetting it or dealing with it right then. Review the list in the morning and deal with it fresh. In the meantime...get to sleep.

Eight, create a habit. Researchers have noted that one of the contributing problems of sleeplessness in our society is that we have poor sleep habits. We stay up late and get up early. We fail to give ourselves enough hours each night for sleep. We also tend to be inconsistent in when we go to bed. We then try to make up for it on the weekend by sleeping in later than normal or taking naps. Studies have shown that this pattern of behavior can actually make it harder for us to go to sleep and reduce our quality of sleep. It is better to train your body to follow a pattern of going to bed at the same time (as much as possible) and get up at the same time. When we change the start or stop time of our sleep too much it triggers our brain to reset the clock which can throw us off further.

Nine is block out the light. If you live in an area where you get light late into the night during the summer or the sun rises early then you may need darker shades over the windows. The brain's clock is light sensitive so late light can delay the sleep mechanism and early light can trigger the wake signal prematurely. Controlling the light can help the brain's clock stick with the program.

Finally, 10 on the top 10 things that help you sleep list. If none of the above is working then try a natural remedy before resorting to drugs. Drugs have too many harmful side effects, (see my previous articles on the subject if you want details). However, modern science has helped manufacturers improve the quality and effectiveness of many supplements geared toward promoting sleep. A number of these use a combination of powerful ingredients that can calm you, boost brain chemical production and induce sleepiness. Several studies have shown them to be as effective as prescription drugs in many cases...again without the major side effects.

Hopefully this list of top 10 ways to sleep easier is helpful to you. As with anything involving your health talk with your doctor before making major changes or trying things that may interact with any prescriptions you are taking. Sleep well.

J. Wall has an avid interest in natural remedies for the treatment of memory loss. He is a regular contributor to Memory Enhancement Guide, a site dedicated to improving memory and concentration.
 

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