Español Find a Doctor Find a Location Pay a Bill Sign in to LiveWell Services & Specialties Appointments Search Home Health services Sleep medicine 'Rules' to improve sleep Sleep medicine CPAP/Home Health Home sleep testing Inspire therapy Pediatric Sleep Medicine Preparing for a sleep study 'Rules' to improve sleep Sleep centers Sleep center contact form 10 rules for more restful nights Several lifestyle changes may help you improve the quality of your sleep. Some of the Advocate Sleep Centers' "rules" for a better night's rest include: Sleep as much as you feel you need for refreshment but not more. Once you wake up, get out of bed. An excess of time in bed rather than sleep time may cause poor sleep in the future. Maintain a regular sleep and wake-up schedule. Daily exercise will improve sleep; however, it should not be done too close to bedtime. The temperature in your bedroom should be comfortable. Hot rooms disturb sleep, as do excessively cold rooms. Occasional loud noises disturb sleep even for people who claim to have adapted to them. Sound-screening your bedroom with a fan or an air conditioner may help. Ear plugs can also be worn for better sleep. Hunger may prevent sleep. Eating a regular evening meal and a bedtime snack or drinking milk may improve sleep. Caffeine in the evening disturbs sleep even for people who think it doesn't. Caffeine is found in coffee, some teas, chocolate, cola drinks and many other carbonated beverages. Caffeine takes eight hours to metabolize; therefore, no stimulant drinks should be taken after lunchtime. Alcohol may help people fall asleep easily in the evening, but it also results in fragmented sleep during the night. People who drink alcohol to help them go to sleep in general sleep less during the night than if they would have abstained from alcohol. Daytime naps help some people sleep better at night, while others sleep much more poorly after them. You should determine whether naps are beneficial for you. If you're having difficulty falling asleep, get out of bed and read, write or watch television until you're tired. Then, return to bed. More information from outside resources Sleep Education American Sleep Association Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Sleep American Sleep Apnea Association American Academy of Sleep Medicine National Sleep Foundation Narcolepsy Network Do you suffer from sleep apnea? Untreated sleep apnea can lead to other health conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and depression. Our sleep apnea quiz evaluates risk factors like snoring, breathing pauses during sleep, fatigue and obesity and gives you an idea of what to do next based on your results. Take sleep apnea quiz Get care We help you live well. And we’re here for you in person and online. Find a doctor Find a location Call 800-3-ADVOCATE Sign in to LiveWell Get in touch 800-3-ADVOCATE Contact us Share your health care opinions advocatechildrenshospital.com advocateaurorahealth.org aurorahealthcare.org For patients & visitors LiveWell health enews Classes & events Billing & payment Financial assistance Medical records Hospital information Flower shop For professionals AdvocateOnline Careers Education Physician partners Research Employer Solutions Supplier relations Investor relations About Advocate About us Advocate Medical Group News Center Foundation Volunteer opportunities Donate Serving our community Language assistance services are available free of charge during your Advocate visit. Just ask and assistance will be provided. Select your language to learn more. Español | Hmoob | Русский | Shqip | العربیة | Bosanski | ျမန္မာ | Lai (Chin) Hakha | Laizo (Chin) Falam | 简体中文 | 正體中文 | Hrvatski | Français | Deutsch | Ελληνικά | Gujarati | Hindi | Italiano | 日本語 | unDusdm | 한국어 | ພາສາລາວ | Bahasa Melayu | മലയാള | Pennsylvaanisch Deitsch | Polski | ਪੰਜਾਬੀ | Ruáinga | Română | Srpski | Af-Soomaali | Kiswahili | Tagalog | اردو | Tiếng Việt © 2021 Advocate Health Care 3075 Highland Parkway, Suite 600, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515 Privacy Policy | Notice of Privacy Practices | Notice of Nondiscrimination | Terms of Use | SMS Terms and Conditions