Having trouble sleeping? Try these tips!

By: Jeff Davis, Freelance writer and M*A*S*H Nerd

If you have a hard time sleeping, or are simply not getting enough sleep, you’re not alone. According to sleepfoundation.org, around two-thirds of Americans report sleep problems during a typical week, with 60% experiencing a sleep problem every night or almost every night. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends 10 hours a night for school-aged kids, 9-10 hours for teens, and 7-8 for adults. Yet most Americans report getting less than 7 hours of sleep a night. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), states that “insufficient sleep is a public health problem.” So, what can you do? Try these tips to help you get those quality z’s.

First, get your bedtime routine in order.

The easiest way to improve your sleep is to be consistent. Although our busy lives are often chaotic, it’s important to try to go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time every morning. If you have to work late, get up at the normal time anyway, and be sure to get to bed at the proper time the next evening. This helps your body “know” when it’s time to be asleep.

Also, avoid eating a large meal close to your bedtime, cut out caffeine after lunch, and avoid nicotine and alcohol before bed. Get regular exercise, but in the morning or during the day, rather than right before bed. Get a good amount of sunlight during daytime hours.

Almost everyone sleeps better when it’s cool, quiet, and dark. Black out your bedroom windows if necessary. Some people find a “white noise generator” helps them ignore distracting outside noises. Oh, and only use your bed for sleep (and sex). Don’t hang out and read or watch TV in bed. If you’re not asleep in 20-30 minutes, go to another (dimly lit) room and do something relaxing to wind down, and then try again.

Now for the biggie:

STAY OFF YOUR DEVICES. 95% of those sleepfoundation.org surveyed, “uses some type of electronics like a television, computer, video game or cell phone at least a few nights a week within the hour before bed.”

This artificial light upsets your circadian rhythm and suppresses the body’s “sleep hormone,” melatonin. Interactive technology like texting, internet surfing, or video games may be particularly disruptive. So unplug, shut down, put on silent, and get serious about sleep.

Supplemental melatonin can help, but use it sparingly.

Melatonin has become popular as a “natural” sleep aid but is often sold in much higher dosage than is necessary. The proper dosage according to an MIT study is only 0.3 milligrams, but most over-the-counter supplements contain up to 10 times that amount. Melatonin can be helpful to meliorate occasional sleep disruption, such as jet lag or daylight saving time, but shouldn’t be a sleep staple. In fact, the MIT study stated, “the widely available high doses of melatonin are ineffective. ‘After a few days, it stops working’… When the brain’s melatonin receptors are exposed to too much of the hormone, they become unresponsive.”

SeroVital®-hgh MIGHT just help you sleep better.*

While SeroVital® is known primarily for its ability to increase mean growth hormone levels by 682%* (and hGH has been associated with reduced body fat, improved mood and energy, heightened sex drive, stronger bones, increased lean muscle mass, and reduced appearance of wrinkles), one of the first things new SeroVital customers often report is they start sleeping better within the first couple of weeks. Many SeroVital users say that, because they get better sleep, they actually feel they need less sleep than before, but they still feel more rested in the morning and are more alert and energetic during the day. In fact, a pilot study that was conducted on SeroVital and sleep characteristics provides a preliminary explanation. Results showed study subjects experienced an exponential decrease in sleep latency (time to fall asleep) as well as time awake during the night.*

Individual results will vary.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.