Sleep hygiene: Not the practice of keeping clean but the behaviors we do to try to get to, and to stay, asleep. There is a belief that the older we get, the less sleep we need. The evidence is otherwise. The need for sleep remains about eight hours from young adulthood throughout life. It may be harder to get sleep the older we get because of health problems and other factors. The need for the full night’s sleep is evident in studies that show heart, mood and safety risks associated with less than adequate snooze time. Weight control and immune function have recently been linked to adequate sleep.
One truth is the “early bird” factor, the older we get, the more our circadian clock shifts backwards. Early to bed, early to rise was written by a guy who lived into his eighties at a time life expectancy was about 47 years. Teen-age brains don’t really turn on ‘til mid morning- getting up early to study didn’t help in high school.It is easiest to fall asleep when the body temperature is dropping. A hot shower or bath can keep you at fever temperature for hours. A tepid shower will help more with falling asleep. Remember that one of the ingredients in chocolate is caffeine. Even if there’s not a lot, a sensitive person will take a few hours to metabolize the stimulant. Avoid tea, coffee and soda after the sun goes down. Alcohol may make you feel drowsy but the chances of getting stimulated, restless and staying awake are just as good as going to sleep. Unless you drink enough to pass out in which case this column won’t help you one way or the other.
Darken the room, wear something or nothing, whichever is more comfortable. You might fall asleep in front of the TV but turn it off at bedtime. And have a bedtime! Consistency will help over time. Many people sleep better after sex. That would probably be with a long time partner, (no adventures if you want to rest).