Countdown to a Great Night's Sleep

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Is your evening routine keeping you up at night? Making a few shifts in what you eat, drink, and do in the hours -- and minutes -- leading up to your bedtime can make falling asleep much easier. Use the following ritual from The Mind-Beauty Connection as a guideline:

• 4 to 6 hours before bed: Stop any caffeine (knock off even earlier if you're caffeine sensitive).
• 2 to 3 hours before: Don't eat a full meal. Digesting food (especially a heavy meal) can keep you awake.
• 60 minutes before: Turn off all electronics -- yes, the television, too -- and dim the lights. Even if you're in your jammies and not feeling wound up, light signals your brain to stay alert, and mental stimulation (especially from video games, nightly news, Sopranos reruns) makes it harder to fall asleep.
• 30 minutes before: Drink something you find soothing. It could be a cup of chamomile tea; a glass of warm milk; or a splash (not a glass) of brandy, red wine, or some other nightcap that relaxes you. Just limit alcohol intake, because it can awaken you later. If you find it's a slippery slope, cut it out entirely and switch to herbal tea. Try a warm bath or light reading (no work!).
• 5 minutes before: Make sure your bedroom is dark (or wear an eye mask), quiet (or get a white noise machine or earplugs), slightly cool (crack the window, if needed), and free of distractions (clutter, pets, work piles). G'night . . .