Make Good Daytime Choices
to Help You Sleep at Night
A good night's sleep may be harder to come by as we get older, but a healthy amount of rest is especially important to help prevent or manage diseases such as heart disease and depression.
For many people the best way to get enough sleep at night is to make sure you do the right things during the day. If sleep is a problem, limit alcohol and caffeine consumption and get good light exposure during the day. It is also important to eat a healthy diet and avoid foods that might trigger heartburn. You may want to try drinking something warm like a decaffeinated herbal tea before going to bed.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
- Try to go to bed and wake up at the same times each day
- Avoid working on the computer within a few hours of bedtime
- If you can't fall asleep within 15 or 20 minutes move to another room and read a boring book, but do not watch television
- Ask your doctor if a prescription or over-the-counter sleep aid could be helpful before trying such medications on your own
- Manage conditions such as arthritis, thyroid disease and depression that can affect your ability to sleep
- Report any sleep-related side effects to your doctor if you have started a new medication
From UCLA Division of Geriatrics "Healthy Years", June 2009
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