The night before the wedding all through the house, was visions of a lace bridal gown and bridesmaids dresses galore. The tuxedos and shoes were all lined at the door, but who could sleep with no room on the floor.

Sometimes the more we try to fall asleep, the wider awake we are. So if thoughts keep you tossing and turning, there are some smart ways to get that much needed sleep.

Create a sleep sanctuary ahead of time.

Find a mattress that offers support and comfort. Choosing a firm mattress is not always best. There are plush models that provide comfort as well. What counts is how your back feels when you lie down. Consider queen size beds over full size. The added room lets you move around more and the more room you have the better you sleep.

Look at the decor of the bedroom. It should be a room you look forward to retiring in. Make sure the room is free of clutter. Just like everyday life, we tend to tense up when there are piles of whatever in sight.

When it comes to color, have the walls painted in warm hues of blush. Stark white walls give off a harsh feeling. Accent the walls with serene art versus heavy metal. You want a calming effect.

Leave all electronics such as televisions, stereos and computers out of bedrooms. These things bring activated energy into the space which is not conducive to sleeping.

Turn off lights. Ideally, bedrooms should be dark and quiet. Researchers suggest a temperature between 60 – 65 degrees with good circulation.

Sometimes the problem is not falling asleep, it is waking up in the middle of the night with your mind on an endless list of things to do. Most people wake up roughly every ninety minutes for a few seconds or more. If you are sleeping soundly and on a regular schedule you may not even realize that you have woken up.

If you are suffering from insomnia, these mini wakings are sometimes enough to jolt you wide awake. That is because you are not getting deep sound sleep to begin with.

One of the best ways to combat insomnia is to deal with the problem before you go to bed. At least eight weeks before the wedding, lock into a wake up time and stick to it. Then go to bed a half hour later than usual the night before the wedding.

Just some food for thought. When the late night munchies attack, make sure you avoid foods that make your insomnia worse. Try to avoid spicy foods. Hot  seasonings act as circulatory stimulants and raise the body temperature making it harder to fall asleep.

When it comes to meat, high protein foods produce glycogen. This causes your brain to be on high alert.

Hold back on caffeine drinks. This should be a no brainer as caffeine is a stimulant that will keep you awake for hours. So save the chocolate, coffee or diet soda for day time hours.

Anything with refined sugar will keep you feeling high most of the night. Avoid doughnuts, candy bars….. as they fuel the adrenal glands.

Keep some of these ideas in mind if you tend to have a hard time falling asleep or waking up in the middle of the night. The night before the wedding is not the time to think about that. It is the weeks leading up to it. After all, the only bags you want showing up the day of your wedding are the ones you’ve packed for the honeymoon