DEAR DOCTOR: I’ve always been a sound sleeper, but in the last few months, I’m tossing and turning way into the night. I really don’t want to start take sleeping pills.
DEAR READER: The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies sleeplessness, also called insomnia, as a public health problem.
Sleep apnea, depression and restless leg syndrome are a few of the conditions associated with lack of sleep. Here are some steps you can take to give yourself a better shot at a good night’s sleep.
- Plan ahead. Help your body anticipate sleep cycles by following a set bedtime and wake-up time.
- Get moving. A half-hour or so of exercise during the day can help with sleeplessness – a swim, brisk walk, hand weights or a game of tennis, whatever is easiest and most enjoyable. But don’t exercise in the hours before your set bedtime as doing so can actually interfere with sleep.
- Limit caffeine. If you’re a morning coffee drinker, keep it to one cup. After that, skip the caffeine. This includes tea, sodas, energy drinks and chocolate.
- Watch your alcohol and nicotine intake. Both tend to keep you in the lighter stages of sleep, which means waking easily throughout the night.
- Make sure to relax. Try mind-body techniques like meditation, mindfulness, breath work, guided imagery, yoga and tai chi. The sustained flow and rhythmic breathing helps to minimize stress.
- Limit screen time. The blue light that screens emit can interfere with sleep. Turn off screens a few hours before bed. And avoid the temptation of sleeping with your phone by your bed.
- Try a transitional activity, such as reading a book, listening to music or doing a crossword.
- Create the right environment. Minimize light and noise in the bedroom. Earplugs and an eye mask can help. Research shows that we sleep better in cooler temperatures.
- Try relaxation techniques. Starting at your feet and slowly moving upward, focus your attention on each region of your body. When you feel it relax, move on. If you get to your head and you’re still awake, start over.
Elizabeth Ko, M.D., is an internist and primary care physician at UCLA Health.
Send your questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla.edu, or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o Media Relations, UCLA Health, 924 Westwood Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA 90095.