Getting a good nights sleep can be tough.
Wednesday on THV This Morning, we shared some tips from Reader's Digest about how to get better sleep.
1. Rethink Your Mattress. You don't need a really expensive mattress or one with a lot of space-age bells and whistles. Most people prefer a mattress that's not too hard and not too soft, so look for something medium firm. If you can, try the type of mattress you're considering in a hotel or at a friend's house. Some stores may even let you sleep on it for a night.
2. Stick to One Pillow. If you're back sleeper, it's not a good idea to sleep on multiple pillows because it makes your upper back curve and strains the neck and back. If you need to sleep up high for medical reasons, get a wedge and put your pillow on it.
3. Nod Off With the Right Scent. Studies have shown that any new smell, even one associated with relaxation, like lavender, can make you feel more alert. You're better off with a scent that makes you feel safe and comfortable. There really is something to cuddling up with your spouse's undershirt.
4. Take a Slumber-Triggering Supplement. Low magnesium is associated with irritability and jumpiness. It's also known to cause chronic inflammatory stress, something that insomniacs often suffer from. So it's possible that taking a magnesium supplement, 100 to 200 milligrams a day, will help with sleep.
5.Learn to Share. If you like a firmer mattress and your partner likes a softer one, you don't have to compromise. Get two singles, push them together, and use king sheets. Or you can buy a strap that attaches the mattresses to each other.
6. Be Smart About Allergies. Pillows and bed coverings advertised as 'hypoallergenic' aren't necessarily worth buying. That just means a product is made out of a substance you can't be allergic to, not that it prevents allergies. Instead, get dustmite-proof covers for your pillow, mattress, and box spring.
7. Cool Down Your Room. A hot bath will increase your skin temperature, which eventually decreases your core body temperature. Do the same thing for yourself that you'd do for a young child-make sure you take a bath a half hour or so before bed time.
You can find even more great tips in this Reader's Digest article.