Best Sleep Center in NYC: How To Sleep Better Tonight

Author: Nick Johnson

These problems may not legitimately be called sleep disorders, but they still impact your ability to get the quality sleep you need, and thus impact your overall health and wellbeing. In this article we'll talk about a few things you can do that can help to improve your sleep quickly.

First, look at your bedtime routine…what is it like now?

Do you eat or drink within a couple of hours of your bedtime? Do you even have a regular bedtime, or does your sleep schedule vary widely? Do you spend a lot of time gazing at TV, computer or phone screens just before you go to bed? Have you changed your mattress or bedding in the last decade?

All of these things are part of your personal sleep hygiene, which can be either conducive to being able to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep, or the opposite. Obviously, drinking caffeinated beverages late at night can affect your sleep, but did you know that drinking alcohol late at night could affect them even more? Similarly, exercising in the afternoon or early evening can actually improve your sleep, whereas exercising too close to bedtime can cause insomnia.

To develop good sleep hygiene, you need to start paying attention to the little things that help you to create a "winding down period" before you go to bed to make it more likely that you will be able to sleep soundly. If you have insomnia or find yourself still tired after a night's sleep more than once or twice a week, we urge you to make an appointment at our Manhattan sleep center. But if you only have occasional problems, we present the following list of tips that may help.

Things you can do at home to improve the quality of your sleep

  • First, try to develop a regular sleep schedule, and try to stick to it, going to bed at about the same time every night and waking up at about the same time every morning. Do this even on weekends, and you'll probably see a quick improvement in how well you sleep and how you feel in a very short time.
  • Increase your exposure to light during the day, but try to reduce it at night by keeping your bedroom dark and cool. Also, try to avoid watching TV or using computers for at least a couple of hours before bedtime.
  • Avoid alcohol, smoking and heavy meals in the evenings. All of these things disrupt sleep and can create congestion that risks obstructive sleep apnea.
  • Find ways to create a "winding down" routine before bed – read a book or listen to quiet music, or take a relaxing bath. Try to avoid thinking about work or any stressful situations from the day.
  • Look into the quality of your mattress and bedding. If the mattress is old, it may not be supporting your back sufficiently. And if your pillows are old, they may have become a hiding place for mites or animal dander that can cause nasal and throat constriction, and thus disrupt your sleep.
  • If you're overweight, lose weight. Every extra pound you carry around impairs your immune system and increases your risk of developing many diseases, but it's bad for sleep as well.
  • Working with your Manhattan sleep specialist, set personal goals for how many hours per night you should sleep, and then follow the tips above to try to achieve that goal.

If you'd like to learn more about how to achieve more quality sleep, give us a call at 646-233-1838 and set up an appointment with one of our NYC sleep doctors. Our experienced physician specialists can recommend many other suggestions to improve your sleep habits. Also, if you'd like to find out more about the best sleep center in NYC, please explore the "Sleep" section of our website at: http://www.nycva.org/.

Author Bio: Doctors from the Varicose Vein Treatment NYC present a few ways that you can overcome common minor sleep problems and sleep better immediately from nycva.org.