* This is a guest post by Tara Miller that is very timely. Mainly because lack of sleep from being so busy is the main reason why I haven’t been posting more often on here. So please enjoy her article and the 3 related articles I have listed at the bottom. I know this was a good reminder and motivator for me. 
Whether you’d like to admit it or not, your sleeping habits have a direct impact on how productive you are the next day. A restless night’s sleep, or a night without enough sleep, can bring down your mood, focus, energy, and even health. Studies have shown that those who don’t get enough sleep are prone to eating more junk food and being less productive at work. And although you may think that going to bed earlier hinders your social life, a good night’s rest can help you be more patient, happy and ready for action. Here are five easy ways to get better sleep and be more energetic the next day.
1.Exercise. Try to fit in at least a moderate amount of exercise each day, including taking your dog on brisk walks, jogging, taking dance classes, or doing aerobics. Exercise helps your body relax and clears your mind, making it easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep. Exercise may make you feel more energized right after you work out, so avoid heading to the gym late at night, when you should be getting ready for bed.
2.Avoid alcohol. Drinking wine or any other alcoholic beverage may make you feel a little sluggish or sleepy, but it ultimately interferes with your sleep. Even if you think that alcohol makes you pass out altogether, your body and your mind aren’t getting the right kind of sleep. Instead, your body is working to metabolize the alcohol and recover from side effects like dehydration. If you want to drink in the evenings, make sure you have a glass of wine with dinner, not well into dessert.
3.Avoid TV and your iPod before falling asleep. Kick the television out of your room, and don’t let yourself listen to your iPod before bed, either. The light, noise and even emotional or mental stimulation of watching TV and listening to certain kinds of music will keep you awake and restless. If you need a sleep aid to help you relax, try reading instead.
4.Clear your mind. Going to bed when you’re anxious or worried won’t just keep you up initially: it can interfere with sleep and may cause you to wake up throughout the night. Write down things that are causing you worry, and make sure you have everything in order before going to bed, like organizing papers you’ll need the next day or laying out your clothes for the morning.
5.Sleep on a good mattress. If you’re having trouble sleeping and are waking up with aches and pains, consider getting a new mattress. Evaluate the current one you have by figuring out when you last flipped it, when you purchased it, and if it is the right firmness. You may also need to buy new pillows and bedding if you can’t sleep comfortably.
This post was contributed by Tara Miller, who writes about the online psychology degree. She welcomes your feedback at TaraMillerr00 at gmail.com
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Yes you can’t underestimate the importance of a good night’s sleep. It affects your entire day. That is an interesting tip about reading before bed instead of watching tv or listening to music. I wouldn’t think that would make much difference. For that one I think it may depend on the person.
I loved this article, I used to have problems, both fallen to sleep and sleeping, and it goes without saying that when you are tired you don’t have the energy to exercise or eating right. A friend of mine told me about LiveWave Silent Night patches and my life has totally changed, I get a good night rest and have enough energy to have a great day
http://the-problemsolvers.com/668696/products/silent-nights
Oh thank goodness. With such a hectic writing schedule these days, I need all of the help that I can get.
Printing and tacking this one to my bedpost!
Cheers
George
Tumblemoose´s last blog ..Let’s help a friend build momentum
These are all great tips! Like George, with a hectic writing schedule (and a Muse who shows up at the craziest times!) it’s hard to get a great night’s sleep a lot of times. Thanks for reminding us just how important it is to create a routine that results in restful nights and alert days!
Michele´s last blog ..Book Review: Can I Change Your Mind? by Lindsay Camp
Great post. Being one that HATES sleeping, I can attest for everything you’ve said. When I get very little sleep, I am not productive at all the next day. On other hand, when I do rarely get enough sleep, I am much more productive.
The Gooroo @ Finance Advisory Stop´s last blog ..Finding The Right Mortgage Based On Your Situation
Everything you wrote is true and I somehow experienced that kind of feelings. I am somehow a night person, because that’s the only time I can update my blog and post articles. Thank you for these great tips anyway!
Benjamin Cip´s last blog ..OIOpublisher Review
Thanks. I will try it.
Ahh.. #1 works for me best. After enough exercising (2 hours of badminton, or one hours jogging), I always fell asleep right the moment I hit bed. But, if I took to much exercise, I got the opposite effect. Found it very hard to get asleep. Good recap. Thank you
Adi F. Paputungan
Make Money with GDI
Adi F. Paputungan´s last blog ..Success Path in Marketing a Product: Introduction
Exercising daily is definitely a great way to make sure you fall asleep easily each day. Its great to exercise early or late in the afternoon a good few hours before you go to bed. A tired body and a clear mind makes for a good nights sleep. These are all great tips. You could also try reading Power sleep, its definitely a great read!
Till then,
Jean
Hi,I can’t recall the last time that I consistently remembered my dreams. I recently started using nasal strips when I sleep. My breathing is noticeably better while wearing them. It seems that lately I remember most of my dreams. Does wearing the nasal strips cause me to get better quality sleep which leads to the ability to recall dreams? what you say?
My Best Carpet Cleaners´s last blog ..Keep your interior and exterior of your home tidy
Very nice article, My suggestion is: Going to bed either hungry or too full can disrupt your sleep. Don’t have a big meal too close to bedtime or the digestion process might keep you awake.
Some very interesting comments, especially with TV, I do find that TV today is quite frantic and fast, too many adverts, too many presenters that seem to cram so many words and deliver with a machine gun approach.. I found that lavender oils work well, have a window open and let in some fresh air and beforehand a relaxing bath, many people take showers, but to relax the muscles a bath is the best method.. plus I’m a jazz Dj,and have a hypnotic set that tends to chill the brainwaves which works.
As far as I don’t have any sleeping problems most time, sometimes it actually hits me. I’m lying in the bed for hours and trying not to think at all, or just to think about something pleasant. Sometimes I imagine some kind of a trip or fantastic movie
The results are not always instant but by not thinking about anything stressful or fearful I make myself sleepy and calm. Becoming calm is the key in my opinion here.
Exercise has always worked for me, it tires me out then I get a great nights sleep.
I add one more tips , what about listening to binaural beats musics
itsoke @ french recipes´s last blog ..How to make soda like coke cola
Nothing is more frustrating than not being able to sleep. Tossing and turning. Your mind is racing, going over everything that happened today. Night noises keep you awake. What can you do? There ARE things you can do!
Homemade hand jobs´s last blog ..Know the facts before buying Jewelry
It is important to give your body cues that it is time to slow down and sleep. Listen to relaxing music, read something soothing for 15 minutes, have a cup of caffeine free tea, do relaxation exercises.
Homemade hand jobs´s last blog ..Know the facts before buying Jewelry
Great article. Getting a good sleep is very important. If you are not sleeping enough it affects your entire day. Insufficient sleep makes you less focused and easily agitated.
A steaming hot bath does wonders for inducing sleep in my opinion.
PSP Go´s last blog ..Buy Sony PSP Go – Quick Buying Q&A
Funny I was chatting with a friend about this just the other day, we share the same views.
Good stuff – I also take a supplement called Melatonin that helps me sleep too. You can find it at your local GNC
[...] getting up early anyhow cause my body is trained to do that. When it comes to sleep it is better to stick to a good routine. Try breathing exercises – These can benefit you by giving you a sense of calm and peace. [...]