Health Tip: Nightmares Keeping You Up?
While nightmares mostly affect children, even adults have an occasional bad dream.
Why do nightmares happen? The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers this list of possible causes:
- Being stressed or anxious, often resulting from a significant life event.
- Withdrawing too quickly from alcohol use, or drinking too much alcohol.
- Having a sleep disorder, such as narcolepsy.
- Being sick with a fever.
- Having a side effect or reaction to a drug.
- Eating too close to bedtime, which raises your metabolism and increases brain activity.
Health Tip: Suggestions for Better Sleep
If you're struggling to get a good night's sleep, your sleep environment and bedtime habits may need changing.
The National Sleep Foundation offers these suggestions that may help you sleep better:
- Go to bed and try to wake at the same time each day.
- Prepare for bed with a relaxing routine, such as taking a bath or reading.
- Make sure your bedroom is quiet and dark.
- Use a firm but comfortable mattress, and lots of plush pillows.
- Never perform work-related duties in your bedroom.
- Don't eat for at least two hours before you go to bed.
- Exercise each day, but never just before bedtime.
- Skip caffeine, alcohol and nicotine in the hours before bedtime.
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