Is it difficult for you to "roll out of bed" in the morning? Do you have a hard time concentrating in the morning and feel like you're running around in a fog for most of the day? Are you constantly trying to "snap yourself out of it?" If this sounds like you, then you may not be getting enough uninterrupted sleep. Most adults need between 8 to 10 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night in order to function at their best.

Why "uninterrupted" sleep? Because normal sleep is composed of "sleep cycles" with each cycle made up of two distinct parts, one physical and one mental. During the first, or physical, part of the cycle, you do not dream. Your body uses this time to physically heal and rejuvenate itself. If you miss this phase of the sleep cycle or if it's interrupted, your body will feel tired and drained and you'll have trouble maintaining physical coordination.

You dream during the mental phase, or the second part, of the sleep cycle. During this phase, your mind plays out your stresses and troubles and resolves all the little issues that bother you throughout the day. This is usually accompanied by rapid eye movement and is also known as "REM" sleep or dreaming sleep. People who are deprived of dreaming sleep have a difficult time staying focused mentally.

A typical sleep pattern usually involves 4 to 7 complete sleep cycles during the night, with each sleep cycle lasting 60 to 90 minutes. Getting enough uninterrupted sleep is important since waking up in the middle of a sleep cycle usually leaves you feeling tired or groggy or both.

Here are some tips to help make sure you get your full "40 winks" and wake up feeling mentally and physically refreshed.

Make Sure You're Ready To Go To Sleep

Just because you're ready to go to bed doesn't mean you're ready to sleep. If you lie awake in bed for more than 30 minutes, then your mind is still too active and not ready for sleep yet. You might have some unfinished business you're thinking about or there may be something else that's occupying your mind. If this happens, get out of bed and go into another room. Put on some relaxing music or read some light fiction until you start feeling sleepy. You might also try sipping some warm milk or herbal tea. The idea is to try to get your mind to relax so avoid doing anything that will stimulate the mind like trying to work or watching TV. When you find that you've read the same paragraph 3 times and still can't remember what it says, you're probably ready to sleep.

Make Your Bedroom Conducive to Sleep

Your bedroom should invite sleep by being quiet, dark, and comfortable. The room should be at a slightly cool temperature and have plenty of good ventilation. Keep a clock handy but out of sight so you won't be tempted to stare at it if you wake up in the middle of the night. The bedroom curtains should be heavy enough to block out any stray light. If outside noise is an issue, consider a "white noise generator" or something similar. Lastly, take a critical look at your bed. If you have a traditional mattress and haven't replaced it in several years, it might be time to consider a new one. Your old mattress might be keeping you up at night.

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