Your lifestyle plays a pivotal part in your sleep patterns. If you have trouble sleeping try keeping a ‘sleep journal’ for a week to evaluate your sleeping routine. Try jotting down what time you went to sleep, how long it took you go fall asleep, how many times you woke up and how you felt in the

morning. Share your results with your doctor for help into a treatment plan. Lifestyle factors that promote healthy sleep are:

• Use your bedroom only for sleep

• Have a regular bedtime routine and sleeping pattern

• Exercise everyday (but not within 4-6 hours of going to bed)

• Try relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga

• Lifestyle factors that inhibit sleep are:

• Drinking caffeine in the evening

• Eating large meals just before going to bed

• Smoking

• Taking naps in the day, especially if longer than an hour

(Morgan K (2003). Daytime activity and risk factors for late-life insomnia. Journal of Sleep Research, 12(3): 231–238).