Help yourself to a good night's sleep.

Here are some tips to help you get a good night's sleep . . .

Time for bed. Try to go to bed at the same time every evening, and set your alarm for approximately the same time every morning, even on weekends and holidays. This will help regulate your internal clock.

Get physical. Take a walk, ride a bike or get involved in some other type of moderate exercise for 30 minutes every day. This will help you relax and release muscle tension. However, don't exercise in the evenings - the stimulation can cause you to be wide awake at bedtime.

Cut caffeine. A cup of coffee in the morning won't keep you up at night. But avoid the caffeine in coffee, tea, chocolate or soda within six hours of bedtime.

Avoid nicotine. Here's yet another reason not to smoke. Nicotine is a stimulant and can make it difficult to fall asleep.

Check the side effects. Prescription and nonprescription medications often cause sleeplessness. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you're on any medication.

De-stress. It's so easy to say and so difficult to do, but to get a good night's sleep you need to "de-stress" yourself. Of course you can't get rid of all the stress in your life. But reducing stress with relaxation techniques, visualization, exercise and other techniques can make a world of difference in the quality of your sleep.

Need help? If you'd like an appointment with a doctor who specializes in sleep disorders, or if you'd like a free brochure on sleep disorders, send us an email request or call St. Anthony at 405.231.8866.