Most people will occasionally suffer from bouts of sleeplessness.

Feelings of irritability, tiredness, and lack of motivation are common after a poor night’s sleep. Thankfully, returning to a pattern of restful sleep will help those symptoms disappear. However, some people may be suffering from chronic sleeplessness, and those same symptoms just seem to become the new “normal”.

Sleep is *vitally important* to health. It plays a crucial role the brain and body’s repair and maintenance systems.
**If sleep suffers, so does everything else.**

Getting checked by a doctor for sleep apnea is an important first step, especially if you’re experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness on a regular basis. For those that do not have sleep apnea, the problem may be poor sleep habits.

There are plenty of things that we can do (or not do) to help set ourselves up for a good night’s sleep.

Recommendations:

Early morning light exposure
Bedroom should be dark (black-out curtains, no lights from electronics)
No eating 3 hours before bed
Ideal room temperature between 63-66 degrees
No caffeine in the afternoon
Hot shower/bath before bed
Keep house lights dim after sunset

There are also 3 key goals to be working towards regarding good sleep habits.

Wake up at the same time every day.
Keep the same bedtime every night.
Aiming for continuous sleep for 7-9 hours.