Health Photos
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Have a set time to wake up (keep the same time even on weekends).
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When you wake up, if possible, try to have exposure to bright sun light.
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Avoid exercise after 5 PM and have a light dinner.
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Avoid smoking from 2 hours before your bed time till next morning (Quitting smoking completely is best for your overall health).
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Avoid caffeinated beverages, after 2 PM.
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If you want to nap during the day, take a brief nap (20-30 minutes) between 12 & 3 PM only - never before or after that time.
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For some people, relaxation exercises such as meditation / muscle relaxation prior to bedtime may help.
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Avoid any stimulating activity (physically or mentally stimulating activity - by this I mean avoid any interesting show, working on computer / reading an interesting book etc.) and have the lights dim from 2 hours before bedtime.
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Use your bedroom / bed only for sleep OR intimacy - nothing else - No Television / Radio / Work / Computer.
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Sleep is intimately related to our mood and underlying medical illness and our other activities / sleep schedule. As you are working at night and with your shifts changing often, your sleep is disturbed to a greater extent.
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Sleep disturbance can in turn affect your underlying medical disorders - it can lead to hypertension and metabolic disorders such as diabetes. In addition, it can also lead to depression, anxiety, irritability, difficulty concentrating etc.
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A quality good sleep may vary from person to person as per their physical and mental level. Therefore, sleeping pattern changes throughout the life cycle. It is advised to sleep for 7-8 hours in a day for adults.
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Keep your room dark, quiet, well ventilated, and at a comfortable temperature throughout the night.
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Take a hot bath to raise your body temperature 2�C for 30 minutes within 2 hours before bedtime. A hot drink might help you relax as well as warm you.
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Get regular exercise each day, preferably 40 minutes each day of an activity that causes sweating. It is best to finish exercise at least 6 hours before bedtime.
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Get at least one half hour of sunlight within 30 minutes of your out-of-bed time.
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Alcohol can fragment sleep over the second half of the sleep period.
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Restrict sleep period to the average number of hours you have actually slept each night in the preceding week. Quality of sleep is important. Too much time in bed can decrease quality of sleep on the following night.
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Avoid unfamiliar sleep environments.
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Set your alarm and get up at the same time every morning irrespective of how much sleep you got during the night. This will help your body to acquire a consistent sleep rhythm.
