by Janet Farricelli CPDT-KA

Created on: May 18, 2009   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

If you wake up each morning with dark circles under your eyes, lack of energy and an over all grumpy attitude it could be that you are not getting enough sleep. Even those people stating not to be '' morning people'' may be that way simply because they are not catching enough ''zzz's'' each night.

Sleep is pure restoration. Its a vital cycle where your body undergoes tune ups, processes memories and hibernates so upon waking up it is restored to its ideal functioning mode. Upon waking up, therefore, you should feel energized, refreshed and ready for peak performance. If you are a far cry away from feeling this way, then you must try to put some effort in taking better care of yourself so your body can restore efficiently as it should.

1) Check with your doctor

There can be various health conditions that may be interfering with the way you sleep and the way you feel upon waking up. Sleep apnea for instance, may be waking you up every few minutes because you are not breathing and you may not even realize this. A thorough check up just to check if everything is in working order is a good starting point.

2) Follow a routine

Try waking up every morning at the same time and of course going to sleep at the same time as well. This helps your body adjust to a pattern and follow it accordingly. Leave the curtains aside a bit so every morning energizing sunlight wakes you up. Sunlight activates the brain, waking you up in a good shape and with a happy attitude.

3) Give Yourself Priority

If your partner snores, push him/her to seek treatment. If your pet snores, put him in a different room. Wean your child off the habit of wanting to sleep with you. As a busy woman or man, you want to give yourself priority so you can function well during the day in order to take care of work and properly take care for others. While you sacrifice your time for you loved ones during the day, the night should be yours and you should be able to sleep as you are supposed to. You certainly deserve a good night sleep!

4) Ban these Drinks

In the evening hours say no to coffee, cocoa, tea or energy drinks. These drinks not only will keep you awake during the night but they also wake you up for a bathroom trip in the peak of your sleep. Say yes instead to water, juice or if you really want to feel relaxed and sleepy, go for some milk and cookies.

5) Work Out

A nice, sprint evening walk may work almost as well as those prescription sleeping pills. It could be because exercise boosts the production of serotonin, a relaxing chemical that may make you sleepy. However, in order to work well, do not exercise in the two hours prior to your bed time or you may feel a bit too hyper.

As seen, there are several things you can do in order to catch those zzz's and set them free in the morning. Just turn these tips into a routine and you may well notice the difference so you can finally say ''Good Night and Hello Morning!

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