By Ifeoluwa Abimbola
Power down
The soft blue glow from a cell phone, tablet, or digital clock on your bedside table may hurt your sleep. Turn off TVs, computers, and other blue-light sources an hour before you go to bed. Cover any displays you can’t shut off.
Nix naps
You’ll rest better at night. But if you have to snooze while the sun’s up, keep it to 20 minutes or less. Nap in the early part of the day. Overcome an afternoon energy slump with a short walk, a glass of ice water, or a phone call with a friend.
Block your clock
Do you glance at it several times a night? That can make your mind race with thoughts about the day to come, which can keep you awake . Put your alarm clock in a drawer, under your bed, or turn it away from view.
Try a leg pillow for back pain
Your lower back may not hurt enough to wake you up, but mild pain can disturb the deep, restful stages of sleep. Put a pillow between your legs to align your hips better and stress your low back less. Do you sleep on your back? Tuck a pillow under your knees to ease pain.
Put your neck in ‘neutral’
Blame your pillow if you wake up tired with a stiff neck. It should be just the right size — not too fat and not too flat — to support the natural curve of your neck when you’re resting on your back. Do you sleep on your side? Line your nose up with the center of your body. Don’t snooze on your stomach. It twists your neck. Use good posture before bed, too. Don’t crane your neck to watch TV.