Health: Critical Steps for a Better Sleep

Sleep, or better said lack of sleep, is the most common "disease" these days. I am sure that it happened to you too, for a lot of times, to find yourself staring at the ceiling tens of minutes after going to sleep. In order to avoid this from happening, you can follow these next five steps for a better sleep, that Dr. Oz presented.

The very first thing that you should be careful about when going to bed, is the color of your sheets. According to Dr. Oz, there are some colors that help you fall into a deep sleep fast, and other colors that keep you awake. "White sheets reflect light and stop the body's production of melatonin. Try to sleep on yellow, orange, red or black sheets. Stay away from white, blue and green sheets because they all suppress melatonin", says Dr. Oz.

You should pay attention to the products you use to clean your house as well as yourself. According to Dr. Oz, "lemon-scented products like dishwashing soap, furniture polish and air fresheners stimulate the brain and cause an increased heart rate. This disrupts the body's ability to fall asleep". You could try replacing those type of products with unscented ones.

How old is your mattress? If you have it for over 10 years, that can be the answer to why you are not able to fall asleep. "Over 10 years, you've slept about 28,000 hours; this wears out most mattresses", says Dr. Oz. After the age of 40 you should change your mattress every 5 to 7 years, because the body needs more support as years go by and we age.

Even if it might sound hard to believe, keeping your socks on when you go to bed will help you sleep better. "Socks help to induce sleep by regulating your body temperature in the same way melatonin does. Wear moisture-wicking socks, as they’ll keep your feet warm without causing you to overheat" advises Dr. Oz.

Clean your room for a better sleep. Maybe you think that is not that important that you have all those unfolded clothes on the chair, or all those papers and toys building up on the table and on the ground of your sleeping room, but in fact it matters a lot. Cleaning your room could be the answer to a great night sleep. "Clutter means different things to different people, but if you are feeling claustrophobic, you will have a harder time resting.

If your room is disorganized, you will have a harder time relaxing. If your room has lots of distractions, you will not be able to focus on the task at hand: rejuvenation. Go through and do a sweep of your space" is what Dr. Oz says is the best approach for a resting sleep.