Don't Count Sheep: Better Bedtime Rituals
b'From mediation to melatonin to putting on a pair of socks, we all have routines to help us reach that blissful state of slumber. These are the ones that work:
- Forget sheep. Instead, use mental imagery \\u2014 picturing a walk in the woods or a stroll on a beach \\u2014 to help relax.
- Relaxation and meditation apps can help you unwind.
- Melatonin supplements might ease your way into sleep, but too much melatonin could disrupt it.
- Over-the-counter sleep medications may knock you out, but they won\'t result in effective sleep.
- If young kids wake you in the wee hours, don\'t react in a way that increases their stress \\u2014 but do find strategies that make it no fun to be up.
- Sleep rituals are personal. If you believe in yours, that might be all you need.
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