The Best Sleep Aid For You
In modern society where human behavior is no longer governed by the rising and setting of the sun, human sleep behavior has changed quite dramatically. Research has shown that people in the United States, for example, have been sleeping less and less over the last few decades. For some, it is a choice to fit a 24-7 lifestyle enabled by modern technology. For others, it is curse dawned by the inability to fall asleep and to stay asleep.
Many drugs have been formulated in recent years by pharmaceutical companies to help those who cannot get quality sleep attain the rest they need. Unfortunately, they are often times not the best sleep aids available. Medications often times have side effects, including drowsiness and confusion the next day. Many people also develop dependency on them, where their ability to sleep without the drug become even more impaired as time marches on. Furthermore, drugs have become more and more expensive as insurance plans cover less and less.
The best sleep aid, for many people, is actually to change their sleep behavior. Sleeping is the act of letting go of the conscious self, where many sensory activities are temporarily suspended. As such, it is a habit that is formed, much like eating and other behaviors performed repeatedly day after day. Firming up this habit can have substantial positive effects. This includes developing regular sleep schedules, developing regular bedtime routines, and setting up the proper environment to enable sleep.
First, having regular sleep schedules implies going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on the weekends. Studies have shown that people tend to sleep better when this is done, possibly because the body establishes a rhythm. If the pattern is changed dramatically from day to day, the body cannot set up equilibrium and sleep suffers.
Setting a sleep schedule also implies no napping to make up for lost sleep. Naps affect overall sleepiness during bedtime and therefore will affect the sleep pattern. It is important, therefore, not to give-in to afternoon or after-dinner drowsiness.
The second important aspect is to develop a bedtime routine. A bedtime routine is just something done the same way each night. For example, it may consist of reading light material for 15 minutes, brushing your teeth, practicing meditation briefly, and going to bed with a relaxed mindset.
A routine trains the body to know what to expect next, enabling someone to fall asleep faster. The routine needs to be individually customized, however, and may take a few trial-and-error to see what works best.
Finally, the proper environment should be set to allow the body to fall asleep. For example, the bedroom should be dark, quiet, and set to an appropriate temperature. Rooms that are too hot or too cold, for example, may hinder sleep. So set the room temperature to what is comfortable. Also, rooms with too many things going on will not allow the mind to shut down and drift into sleep. So make sure the television or radio is turned off and the lights dimmed. Finding a comfortable mattress and pillow will also help.
Overall, the best sleep aid may be simple lifestyle changes to enable the body to fall asleep and stay asleep.

