The daily stresses we have such as problems at work, the state of our finances, family issues, the list goes on. Unresolved experiences one has during the day can all add up and keep a person up at night. The mental chatter that goes on and the replaying of the events of the day, over and over again, create anxiety and worry while the minutes and maybe even hours tick away. What you can do to minimize the mental chatter is to deal with each problem or misunderstanding as it arises. How many times have you sat wondering about what you should have said or could have said. What you need to do is communicate to the person or persons involved and get some closure. This releases a lot of your attention. Another thing to do is imagine leaving all the mental baggage from the working day outside your front door – do not bring the office back to your home. Your home is an environment for relaxing, entertainment, fun, and family. It is best to keep it that way.

Eating snacks or large meals at night can interfere with your ability to sleep. Late night meals engage all the resources of your digestive system – your body is actually doing a lot of work when it’s supposed to be resting. A lot of this late night food is stored as fat, creating additional problems. Try to aviod large meals and snacks such as potato chips and chocolate.

Exercise contributes to restful sleep. When you have done vigorous physical work the body needs to recover. Sleep lets your body repair and rebuild, getting stronger in the process. Regardless of the stresses and worries, vigorous exercise makes a physical demand on your body that will relax you and bring about a restful sleep. If you do not engage in regular exercise, the strong physiologic need for deep rest is missing, and you’ll likely be tossing and turning the night away.

Soft, old and lumpy mattresses can also disturb sleep. Too firm mattresses can also cause problems. A good mattress is supportive and comfortable. It “gives” in all the right places and provides a balanced, springy platform for a restful night’s sleep. Ensure that your bed is right for you. Make sure that your pillows are supportive too, enabling your body to relax.