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Dr. Oz's Ultimate Sleep Challenge

Added to Articles on Fri 08/10/2012

Smoking isn't the only lifestyle factor that can drastically affect how you're sleeping; alcohol consumption, anxiety, stress, being overweight or obese, lack of physical activity, certain medications and caffeine intake can all prohibit a sound sleep.

 

Go on Sleep Surveillance

Examine your daily routine. Do you have coffee everyday at 4pm to beat the afternoon slump? Do you have more than 1 alcoholic beverage a day? Do you eat dinner after 8pm? Do you workout? Do you generally go to bed/wake up at the same time each day? Take note of these behaviors. Identifying them now will help you along your search for sleep. Keep a sleep diary, making sure to note: what you were doing before bed; when you went to bed and when you woke up; how long it took you to fall asleep; the time you spent, if any, napping during the day.

 

Recently, the National Sleep Foundation asked people what kept them up at night, and it's no surprise that the most popular answers included financial worries, job stress and relationship stress. At the most basic biological level, the brain perceives these problems as threats it needs to process, deal with and solve; it can't turn off its alert system so that your sleep drive can take over. Eliminating the stress in your life might seem like an impossible task. And it is. Instead of eliminating stress, trying minimizing it by employing effective coping mechanisms.

 

Commit to a Meditative Practice

Commit to a practice that improves flexibility, strength, heart rate and peace of mind. Click here to view Dr. Oz’s 20-minute beginner yoga guide and here to get first-hand meditation tips from expert Deepak Chopra. Choose the practice that’s best for you and make it part of your daily or weekly routine. On your off days, or days when you're just feeling off, learn to de-stress in just 5 minutes.

 

Take 10,000 Steps Per Day

One of the best ways to get rid of stress before you bring it into the bedroom is to exercise. Start with Dr. Oz's daily mantra: Take 10,000 steps a day – that’s roughly the equivalent of walking 5 miles. If you’re already exercising, make sure that your routine includes both cardio and strength training. Click here to see the 7-minute workout Dr. Oz does every morning.