It can make you feel tired or unrested during the day. Insomnia can be short-term, where people struggle to sleep for a few weeks or months. Long-term insomnia lasts for three months or longer. Sleep apnea is another common sleep disorder. In sleep apnea, the upper airway becomes blocked during sleep.

This reduces or stops airflow, which wakes people up during the night. The condition can be dangerous. If untreated, it may lead to other health problems. If you regularly have problems sleeping, talk with your health care provider.

They may have you keep a sleep diary to track your sleep for several weeks. They can also run tests, including sleep studies. These look for sleep disorders. See the Wise Choices box for tips to sleep better every day.

Treatments are available for many common sleep disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help many people with insomnia get better sleep. Medications can also help some people.

Many people with sleep apnea benefit from using a device called a CPAP machine. These machines keep the airway open so that you can breathe. Other treatments can include special mouthguards and lifestyle changes. Mindfulness Training Can Promote Healthy Choices.

Yoga for Health: A New e-Book. Addressing Childhood Bullying. What Are Frontotemporal Disorders? NIH Office of Communications and Public Liaison Building 31, Room 5B52 Bethesda, MD nihnewsinhealth od. Good sleep is a foundation for good health and a happier frame of mind.

But when was the last time you woke up feeling refreshed, alert, and hopeful — ready to take on the day? Or, fell asleep easily without worry or effort? Try this simple visualization to soothe the mind and relax the body, creating the ideal sleep conditions.

If you're nodding after reading those questions, know you're not alone. These issues affect many of us. Not surprisingly, by the time you get home you may be feeling irritable or cranky, and a little wound up.

Not the best state of mind for peacefully drifting off a few hours later. To feel your best during the day, you need to sleep well at night. But there are some simple steps you can take to help you sleep better - here are 15 things to consider if you want to get better sleep. Your bedroom should feel like a sleep oasis — stress and distraction-free.

While creating the right environment is, to a certain extent, a matter of personal preference, sleep experts offer these sleep hygiene suggestions that are backed by science. The ideal room for sleep is cool and dark. Most experts agree that the sweet spot for temperature is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit.

You can also use a fan which will do double duty, keeping your room cool or try one of the many soothing sleepcasts or some sleep music from the Sleep experience in the Headspace app.

Sleepcasts run about 45 minutes and can help create a relaxing, peaceful environment for sleep. Help create an environment that's conducive for a restful night's sleep — sign up and start using the Headspace app.

The pillow you choose may depend on your preferred sleep position. People who sleep on their backs should consider a thinner pillow to limit stress on the neck. If your bed feels dreamy but your room is a mess, you could be at a higher risk for sleep problems.

A study presented at the June SLEEP conference in Seattle suggests that those surrounded by clutter were more likely to have a sleep disorder. So, as many of our parents used to say, clean up your room!

Try to make dinnertime earlier in the evening, and avoid heavy, rich foods within two hours of bed. Spicy or acidic foods can cause stomach trouble and heartburn. Avoid alcohol before bed. While a nightcap may help you relax, it interferes with your sleep cycle once you're out.

Avoid drinking too many liquids in the evening. Drinking lots of fluids may result in frequent bathroom trips throughout the night.

For some people, a light snack before bed can help promote sleep. For others, eating before bed leads to indigestion and makes sleeping more difficult.

If you need a bedtime snack, try:. A peaceful bedtime routine sends a powerful signal to your brain that it's time to wind down and let go of the day's stresses.

Sometimes even small changes to your environment can make a big difference to how fast you fall asleep and the quality of your sleep.

Keep noise down. If you can't avoid or eliminate noise from neighbors, traffic, or other people in your household, try masking it with a fan or sound machine. Earplugs may also help.

Keep your room cool. Most people sleep best in a slightly cool room around 65° F or 18° C with adequate ventilation. A bedroom that is too hot or too cold can interfere with quality sleep. Make sure your bed is comfortable.

Your bed covers should leave you enough room to stretch and turn comfortably without becoming tangled. If you often wake up with a sore back or an aching neck, you may need to experiment with different levels of mattress firmness, foam toppers, and pillows that provide more or less support.

Using an adjustable base could help to improve your sleep position. Reserve your bed for sleeping and sex. By not working, watching TV, or using your phone, tablet, or computer in bed, your brain will associate the bedroom with just sleep and sex, which makes it easier to wind down at night.

Do you often find yourself unable to get to sleep or regularly waking up night after night? Residual stress, worry, and anger from your day can make it very difficult to sleep well.

Taking steps to manage your overall stress levels and learning how to curb the worry habit can make it easier to unwind at night. You can also try developing a relaxing bedtime ritual to help you prepare your mind for sleep, such as practicing a relaxation technique, taking a warm bath, or dimming the lights and listening to soft music or an audiobook.

Problems clearing your head at night can also stem from your daytime habits. The more overstimulated your brain becomes during the day, the harder it can be to slow down and unwind at night. Then when it comes to getting to sleep at night, your brain is so accustomed to seeking fresh stimulation, it becomes difficult to unwind.

Help yourself by setting aside specific times during the day for checking your phone and social media and, as much as possible, try to focus on one task at a time. You'll be better able to calm your mind at bedtime.

Breathing from your belly rather than your chest can activate the relaxation response and lower your heart rate, blood pressure, and stress levels to help you drift off to sleep.

To follow along with a guided deep breathing exercise, click here. For a bedtime sleep meditation that uses deep breathing, mindfulness, and body scan techniques to help you wind down and clear your head, click here. The military sleep method has been popularized on social media in recent years, with many people claiming it can help you fall asleep within two minutes.

If this last step proves difficult, try using our Sleep Meditation Using Guided Imagery. It's normal to wake briefly during the night but if you're having trouble falling back asleep , these tips may help:.

Stay out of your head. Hard as it may be, try not to stress over your inability to fall asleep again, because that stress only encourages your body to stay awake. To stay out of your head, focus on the feelings in your body or practice breathing exercises.

Make relaxation your goal, not sleep. If you find it hard to fall back asleep, try a relaxation technique such as visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, or meditation, which can be done without even getting out of bed.

Even though it's not a replacement for sleep, relaxation can still help rejuvenate your body. Do a quiet, non-stimulating activity.

If you've been awake for more than 15 minutes, get out of bed and do a quiet, non-stimulating activity, such as reading a book. Keep the lights dim and avoid screens so as not to cue your body that it's time to wake up. Postpone worrying and brainstorming.

If you wake during the night feeling anxious about something, make a brief note of it on paper and postpone worrying about it until the next day when it will be easier to resolve. Similarly, if a great idea is keeping you awake, make a note of it on paper and fall back to sleep knowing you'll be much more productive after a good night's rest.

Exploring your sleep needs and the different stages of sleep. Types, causes, symptoms, and treatment for common sleep problems. What to know about prescription and over-the-counter sleep aids. Treating sleep problems with cognitive behavioral therapy CBT. BetterHelp makes starting therapy easy.

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