Your WORST Night’s Sleep

If sleep isn’t important to you, these tips will help you up your no-sleep arting game!

In many ways, sleep is a lot like your morning commute. Even when you’ve got a full tank of gas and you’ve allowed extra time, you’re still at the mercy of traffic congestion and accidents. It’s the same way with sleep – some nights will be smoother than others.

Considering that more than a third of us regularly struggle to find a good night’s sleep, it’s clear we’re not exactly achieving success in the sleep department. In fact, some of us have become pros at not sleeping. Think we’re joking? Log onto Facebook or Twitter and count how many of your friends brag about how little they slept the night before. Since when did sleep deprivation evolve from torture to a badge of honor?

Setting the stage for tired mornings…

If you’re tired (pardon the pun) of missing out on the non-sleeping competition that’s taking place online and in offices everywhere, listen up. We’ve gathered 7 cheats to get you to the top of the Worst Night’s Sleep Competition. Using just one of these will set you up for success. Use all of them and you may even achieve super elite non-sleeper status.

For those about to not-sleep, we salute you.

1. Adopt loosey goosey bedtime rules. Go to bed at a different time every night. Store your phone face-up beside your bed, leaving the ringer on high, text and social media notifications turned on as well. While you’re at it, install a TV in the bedroom and fall asleep with it on each night.

2. Don’t slow down until you fall down. No need to read quietly or soak in the tub before bed. And remember to pick a fight with your spouse or kids later in the evening to drive your blood pressure up. Just to ensure relaxation is far from reach.

3. Drink to excess nightly. A drink with dinner may help you uncoil from the day’s stress but maybe you’d like another before bed. Go ahead and indulge. Drinking before bed might help you fall asleep but it’s a sure-fire way to guarantee a midnight wake-up call too.

4. Take sleep medication. Sure there’s been lots written lately about the dangerous morning-after effects of sleep aides but pay no heed. On second thought, as a pro non-sleeper, this one goes against your goal so think twice before indulging.

5. Exercise before bed. Sleep experts say strenuous exercise 3 hours before bed can make it hard for your body to relax into sleep. Sign up for a boxing class or plan your marathon training later in the evening. Skip the shower before bed for bonus points.

6. Ignore your old mattress. If you want to be a pro non-sleeper, ignore your lumpy, sagging mattress (and the back pain it causes). “Similar to your favorite old chair or worn pair of shoes, your mattress can still feel somewhat comfortable long after it has lost its ability to provide your body with the proper support and comfort it needs,” advises the Better Sleep Council.

7. Watch scary shows on TV. Make some popcorn and watch back to back Homeland and Mentalist episodes before bed. You’ll be sleeping sitting on the edge of your bed all night – literally.

If, on the other hand, you’re actively seeking a good night’s sleep, learn how to get a better night’s sleep – starting tonight!

Rest well & wake up ready to go!

Better sleep gives rise to better mornings, bringing your goals into focus and dreams within reach. Hungry for more sleep info? Dig into these posts:

• 8 mattress myths debunked
• 10 simple ways to get a better night’s sleep
• Can sleeping late on the weekend repay your weekday sleep debt?