Sometimes you eagerly fall asleep, other times you resist going to bed. Sometimes you lie awake, tossing and turning, frustrated, muscles tight, mind racing; perhaps you finally get an hour or two of fitful rest, but upon awakening, you feel robbed.

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? There is growing evidence that the majority of adults are getting grouchy and more error-prone due to sleep deprivation. All of us covet sound sleep. A good night’s rest is a natural, deep, refreshing experience – a way of recharging your personal battery.

When you are unable to get the sleep you need and this builds up into nights of fretful sleep, your days are going to get longer and longer and your temper is going to get shorter and shorter.

• High tension and low energy.
• General head to toe fatigue.
• A sense of great weariness.
• A sense of pessimism, anxiety and self-doubt.
• Symptoms of headaches, backaches, impatience, and anger
• Mood swings.

In this de-energised but uptight state, you have a weakened capacity to cope with stressful events, and problems seem far more daunting.

It’s time to take a closer look at your sleeping habits if you intend to lead a high-quality life. Just as an engine needs fuel to run, your body needs sleep to function well.

Stop admiring, envying and emulating those who can operate on less sleep.

Set and tune your body clock according to your sleep needs. Know how many hours of sleep you require to keep your mind and body ticking.

Make your bedroom a time-free environment. Set the alarm if you must, but put the clock where it can be heard, not seen. Then you won’t wake up in the middle of the night and keep looking at the clock. You will sleep better without time pressure.

Arrange for a gentle awakening. A raucous jangling, and leaping up to shut off the alarm clock, can be a jolt to your entire being, triggering a racing heartbeat, muscle tension and a raw emotional tone that can last all morning.

If possible, wake up at least a minute or two earlier, so you can allow your body to get adjusted to being awake. Blink your eyes, move your arms and legs. The way you spend your initial waking moments can have a profound influence on your energy and performance levels throughout the day.

Create a relaxed ambience in your bedroom. Make sure it’s comfortable. Learn not to bring work into your bedroom. Your computer, your briefcase, unread books and files, must find its way out. Work and sleep don’t mix. Neither do family problems and sleep. No heated discussions or intense brain storming allowed. This will keep you awake and agitated.

Make your bedroom visually pleasing. Lighting is important and so are good and thick shades to keep out streetlights and the early morning light.

Invest in a good bed and mattress air it regularly. Change sheets once a week and make sure they are of good quality.

Enjoy a pleasant, mind-calming bedroom scent. Pleasant fragrances prompt us to take slower, deeper breaths and make us feel more relaxed and refreshed. You might set a small container of naturally scented potpourri on your table. Avoid strong-smelling artificial scents.

A brief period of moderate exercise– gentle stretching and balanced breathing lasting at least five minutes will do wonders for your sleep routine. A hot bath or a shower before going to bed can immeasurably deepen your sleep.

Don’t go to bed hungry and don’t eat too late. Allow some time for digestion before you hop into bed. Avoid caffeine within four or five hours of your bedtime.

Arise at approximately the same time every morning. Stick to bed-time hours strictly, Sundays no exemption. Sleeping in on weekends, however tempting, disrupts your sleeping patterns and creates confusion for the body.

Having a television in your bedroom is a strict ‘No-No’. You don’t need that distraction.