Sleeping well

"Sleep is the best meditation."

Dalai Lama

Avoid alcohol too close to bedtime. Though alcohol may initially relax you it can make you wake up a couple of hours later. We all know how much fun it is to try and get back to sleep in the middle of the night.

Take a warm bath before going to bed. The bath will relax and soothe your mind and body.

Jot down your thoughts. Put some time aside in the evening to organize the next day. This way you won't be up all night trying to figure out what tomorrow will bring.

Avoid monitors and television before bed. The light stimulates the brain and keeps it alert a full hour after you have turned it off. Try reading instead.

Meditate before sleep. Take a few moments to breathe deeply and focus on relaxing images once you've gotten into bed. This relieves stress and minimizes the mind chatter.

Keep your bedroom dark and neat. Light stimulates us to stay awake. So can the energy from a messy room.

Keep the bedroom for sleeping. Keeping activities like computers, television, reading and lounging around out of the bedroom conditions the mind that when you get into bed it is time to sleep.

Recondition your body for a good night's sleep by utilizing these simple and effective tips on a regular basis.