Q. What can shift workers or people who work at night do to sleep better?
A. Anyone who sleeps during the day needs to make sure their room has heavy window coverings to block out the light. Also, keep your room between 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 18 degrees Celsius). Sleep on a comfortable, supportive mattress and foundation that offers you enough space to move around comfortably. And sleep in a room where the sleep is controllable. Make sure you can adjust the temperature, replace uncomfortable or worn-out mattresses, block out noise with earplugs or a white noise machine and keep exclude light with dark blinds or eye shades.
Q. What’s wrong with falling asleep on the sofa watching television?
A. It’s a hint. If you regularly fall asleep on your sofa, you may not be getting as much sleep as you need at night in your bed. Or maybe your sofa is more comfortable than your bed! Either way, you need to review your sleep habits.
Q. What if there's no time for sleep?
A. Make sleep a health priority. It affects every aspect of your day-to-day living. If you can't say "yes" to sleep, make sure you exercise regularly … people who exercise sleep better than people who don't.
Cut caffeine, alcohol and tobacco products late in the day. If you find yourself too stressed to sleep, make a list of all the things you need to do. Then, give yourself permission to relax and sleep. You need energy to face every new day!
Q. Can people make up for lost sleep during the week by sleeping in on weekends?
A. No. If you sleep more on the weekends than during the week, you have a "sleep debt." The only way to reduce that debt is to sleep as much as your body needs every night.
Q. How do you know if you have a sleep disorder?
A. If you're doing everything right to get a good night’s sleep and you still feel sleepy, see your doctor. You may have a medical condition that undermines your rest.
