7 Ways to Sleep Better

Getting a good night's sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your overall health and well-being. Adequate sleep gives your body time and energy to recover from the day's stresses, and helps you to stay sharp and focused throughout your day. If you've already figured out how to fall asleep, but you're having trouble getting good sleep through the night (i.e., you're tossing, turning, waking up more than once), this article will explain what you can do to ensure a peaceful night's slumber!

Steps

Making the Bed Welcoming

1. 1
   Make your bedroom a haven. Keep the clutter and chaos of everyday life at a minimum in your bedroom. Keep the textures soothing and inviting, and the light warm and saturated. Get the best sheets you can afford, too: the more comfortable your bed and bedroom are, the more conducive they are to a restful sleep.
   
   
2. 2
   Maintain your mattress. Replace it after five to seven years of regular use. If you feel springs or ridges beneath the surface when you're lying on the bed, or you and your partner tend roll to the middle of the bed (unintentionally), it's time to go mattress shopping.
   
   
   • You may also find that the mattress is to blame if you find yourself sleeping better in another bed.
3. 3
   Check out the new technology. The newer types of mattresses that allow for adjustment or that mold around you may help you get a better night's sleep.
   
   
   • One type of mattress lets you adjust the firmness of your bed, individually, for both you and your partner. This is ideal if you can never agree on which mattress feels "right". You may both have different needs, and trying to find one you will both like generally means finding a mattress that neither of you will get a good night's sleep on.
   • Another type of mattress uses "memory foam," which molds to the contours of your body as it warms up. This leaves no "pressure points" to cause numbness, irritation or other physical issues. This is especially useful for those with bad hips or other joints.
4. 4
   Sleep in a different position. Changing your sleeping position can make a huge difference in the quality of your sleep. You may think that it's impossible to control what position you sleep in since you aren't fully aware of what you're doing, but it is possible to change. It can make a considerable difference to how you sleep and feel upon waking. When you go to sleep, or if you wake up in the middle of the night, make a conscious effort to follow these guidelines until it becomes habitual:
   • Keep your body in a "mid-line" position, where both your head and neck are kept roughly straight. Don't use a pillow that's too skinny, and causes your head to tilt down toward the mattress. Likewise, don't stack your pillows so that your head is propped at an angle.
   • Place a pillow between your legs if you sleep on your side. This will support your hips and make this position more comfortable.
   • Place a pillow under your legs if you sleep on your back.
   • Avoid sleeping on your stomach. It's difficult to maintain the proper position, and it is more likely to cause aches and pains. If you wish to sleep on your stomach, put your pillow under your hips instead of under your head.

Taking a Bath

1. 1
   Take a warm bath. Sometimes a warm shower can relax your body and feel clean. Studies suggest that bath relax have good results in elderly (67-83) and younger (17-23), providing at least three hours of good rest with lower movements than without the bath.
   • You should try to take the bath a couple of hours before you go to bed.

Moderating your Diet

1. 1
   Keep an eye on your evening diet. Allow at least three hours after you eat before bed time: digestion slows down at night, and a full stomach may interrupt sleep. The heavier the meal, the longer it takes for your stomach to settle.
   
   
2. 2
   Avoid going to bed on an empty stomach. A completely empty stomach may interfere with your sleeping patterns just as much as going to bed full.^[1]
   • If you find that your stomach is grumbling for food and is keeping you awake, have a light snack about an hour before bedtime. Avoid foods high in carbohydrates or sugar, but foods like turkey, yogurt, soy beans, tuna, and peanuts contain tryptophan, which can help the body produce serotonin in order to relax.^[2]
3. 3
   Switch to decaffeinated coffee. Avoid black teas, cocoa, and caffeinated soda, especially in the evenings. Caffeine can keep you awake even if you drank it earlier in the day, as its effects can last up to 12 hours. Avoid tobacco products in the evenings as well.
4. 4
   Drink a relaxing beverage. A warm glass of milk or chamomile tea will put you in the right mood to rest. Having a glass of water at your nightstand during the night works well if you wake up in the middle of the night.
5. 5
   Don't drink and sleep. Try to avoid drinking water or other fluids one hour before you go to sleep, but make sure you drink at least two liters of water during the day.
   • A well-hydrated body will not wake you up thirsty in the middle of the night, but drink a big glass of water just before bed, and you will be up in the middle of the night to "de-hydrate."
6. 6
   Skip that nightcap. While alcohol will make you feel sleepy, it will also reduce the quality of your sleep as your body processes the alcohol and sugars. Alcohol tends to produce broken, shallow sleep (even if you don't notice the periods of waking during the night), which does not refresh.^[3]

Setting the Stage for Sleep

1. 1
   Lower the lights an hour before bedtime. As the evening works its way towards bed time, start lowering the overall light level in your home. Your body can't tell the difference between "bright light" and "daylight" for purposes of regulating your sleep.
   
   
   • A darkening room tells your body that sleep time is near, and it will start producing the hormones that aid in falling asleep, and staying asleep.
2. 2
   Turn out the lights. When it's finally time to hit the sack, keep the room as dark as possible. Exposure to light during the time you're supposed to be sleeping can disrupt your body's internal clock. It's one of the primary clues to the body that it's either sleep time, or waking time. This has been documented in studies surrounding circadian rhythms.^[4]
   
   
   • If you must have light in the room—–for example, you're in an unfamiliar house and you don't want to use the braille method for finding your way to the bathroom at 3 a.m.—–use a very dim night light. Pull the blinds down or shut the shutters to prevent outdoor lights, or the full moon, occasionally, from shining in. If you wake up and see any kind of bright light, you'll have a much harder time falling back asleep.
3. 3
   Try to eliminate all other sources of light. This includes windows, LED clocks, computer lights, cable boxes, and all those other devices with blinking, glowing lights and LEDs. You can cover them with heavy paper, cloth covers, masking tape, or just unplug them. Not only will you get a good night's sleep, you'll save electricity.
   • If you must have a light at some point in the night, red lights will not affect your night vision. Pilots flying at night use flashlights with red lenses so that their night vision isn't destroyed by white light.^[5]
   • For a truly soothing evening, prepare for bed, then put on some ambient music, and instead of incandescent lights, light several candles in your living room and in your bedroom. For the last 15 minutes to half an hour, practice meditation, focusing on relaxing your body. When it's time, extinguish the candles as you make your way to the bedroom. Your home will get progressively darker until the last candle is extinguished.
4. 4
   Put on an eye mask. Eliminating all light is the most important thing you can do to fall asleep and stay asleep. Light not only inhibits the production of sleep hormones but also stimulates the body to feel awake and alert. The light can also keep you awake.
   • Sometimes lavender eye "pillows" can be more relaxing.
     
5. 5
   Add a splash of sound. Use a white noise generator that generates various soothing sounds—–surf, wind, steam—–these are sounds that have no shape, and they can help your brain to de-focus on right now.
   
   
   • White noise has been shown to not only help people fall asleep more quickly, but also it can disguise other noises that may wake you during the night.^[6]
   • Repetitive or ambient music is very good for falling asleep. What's especially important is that there be no dramatic shifts in the dynamics of the music. Ambient music, such as that produced by Brian Eno, is ideal.^[7] Just be sure that the music stops or fades out in about an hour, or it could keep you from experiencing really deep sleep.

Exercising Your Body to Relax Your Mind

1. 1
   Exercise regularly. If you have a sedentary job, a lack of physical exertion may contribute to reducing the quality of your sleep. The human body uses sleep to repair and recover. If there isn't much from which to recover, your body's sleep cycle could be disrupted.^[8]
   
   
   • The best time to prepare for a good night's sleep is the first thing in the morning.
   • A day of physical exertion (such as taking a run or a swim) or better yet, regular exercise, can make for deeper and more restful sleep. To add in exercise where it doesn't feel like it, take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk instead of catching the bus, and so forth.
   • Don't exercise right before bed to help you get to sleep; while it tires out your muscles, it also boosts your heart rate and causes you to feel even wider awake. Give your body time to cool down, and for you to rehydrate, so consider about two hours before bedtime as an absolute cutoff for exercise.
2. 2
   Take a deep breath. Many outside factors can contribute to overall sleep problems, including stress, certain illnesses, or short-term post-traumatic stress. Have there been any recent events or changes that have been troubling or otherwise preoccupying you? This issue may be following you subconsciously and interfering with your sleep.
   
   
   • If the issue itself cannot be addressed or resolved directly, consider employingrelaxation techniques such as meditation.
   • Medical help is recommended for mental illness, post-traumatic stress, ongoing distress caused by insomnia, anxiety, etc.
3. 3
   Get on schedule. Varying your sleeping times by more than an hour can severely disrupt your sleep quality by breaking your circadian rhythm, and advancing the sleep phase.
   • For example, if you normally wake up at 6 a.m. on weekdays to get to work, you mightget to bed around 10 p.m., because that's when you start to feel sleepy (and it's also a good time to ensure 8 hours of sleep). If, on the weekend, you sleep in until 9 a.m., your body will likely not be ready to sleep again until 1 a.m.
   • Your body loves routine; erratic sleeping sessions will interfere with your internal biological clock, either leaving you tired during the day, or wide awake in the middle of the night.
4. 4
   Take a nap. For some people, and depending on work and your daily routine, a very short rest in the afternoon (the Spanish call it a siesta) could help alleviate the drowsiness some people experience during the day. But make sure not to oversleep!
   • When you feel the need for a nap (should your job allow), set your timer for 15 minutes. If you're ready for a nap, you'll be asleep in a minute or two. When the timer goes off, don't snooze! Have a glass of water, and jump back into work. You will feel much more refreshed—–even more so than if you had slept for an hour.

Medication for Better Sleep

1. 1
   Try melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in your brain. The pineal actively converts serotonin to melatonin when it is dark, but when light is present it does not do so, and the melatonin oxidizes back into serotonin.
   
   
   • Artificial lighting—including computer or television monitors, and the ubiquitous tablet—can interfere with the synthesis of melatonin.^[9]
   • Supplementing with melatonin pills is a natural way to induce sleep, especially if you are physically tired at night but are still unable to fall asleep.
2. 2
   Try plain antihistamine products that cause drowsiness. These are safe when taken "without extra ingredients"—–i.e. no pain relievers, decongestant, expectorant, etc., but only for a night or two, as tolerance to them quickly builds.^[10] They are not recommended as a long-term, ongoing solution––merely as a way to "kick start" you back into a good routine of regular bedtimes, relaxation techniques and managing stress.
   • Read the labels to know what you’re getting into. Try half or less of the usual dose so that you don’t end up with a "sleeping pill hangover," which will only make your sleep situation worse.
   • Be lying down in bed when your drowsiness kicks in.
   • If you use prescription drugs, check with your doctor before taking anything else. Never blindly mix medications: with the wrong combination, you could end up mixing medications blindly.
3. 3
   Tell your doctor if you are concerned that you might have a sleep disorder. Some of the most common sleep disorders are insomnia, narcolepsy, parasomnias, and heartburn (acid reflux). If you are indeed suffering from and are diagnosed with any of these conditions, your doctor will recommend treatment accordingly.
   
   

Loving Sleep

1. 1
   Enjoy your sleep. Being in good physical condition, with the right nutrition, and regular meditation will not only help you get a good night's sleep, it will help you in all walks of life. When you regularly get a good night's sleep, those walks will be many!
   
   

3 Ways to Stop Oversleeping

Do you find yourself getting to work or other commitments late on a daily basis? Is it difficult for you to fall asleep at night, and when you finally do, it's almost impossible to get yourself up in the morning? Oversleeping is ultimately a debilitating condition that can cause you to be late, fatigued and out of step with others.

This article offers a few helpful tips to help you find ways to break your habit of oversleeping and to sustain a better sleep routine.

Steps

Oversleeping or underlying causes?

1. 1
   Determine whether you're oversleeping. Apart from an obvious inability to get up in time for work, school or other commitments, oversleeping is also about the amount of hours you're sleeping. If, as an adult, you're sleeping more than 11 hours a night, then it's likely you're sleeping too much. This can cause excessive daytime sleepiness and a desire to oversleep.^[1] The standard sleep hours needed by adults are between 6 and 8 hours, with slight individual variations in between and either side of these averages.
2. 2
   See your doctor. It is important to have the possibility of underlying health problems removed first of all. There are quite a few medical reasons for oversleeping that your doctor should be able to check for you and provide advice if needed. Sleep problems can be caused by a range of conditions, illnesses and diseases including depression, seasonal affective disorder, glandular fever, heart problems, cancer, thyroid problems, etc. Use of medication can also be an issue.
   • Hypersomnia is a condition of excessive sleepiness. The desire to keep sleeping longer than the usual 7 to 8 hours can have its origins in shiftwork, sleep disorders, broken sleep, changes in time zones, medication usage and psychiatric illnesses.^[2]And a lack of adequate sleep can result in hypersomnia by way of playing catch-up, to restore much-needed sleep.

Self-help to stop oversleeping

1. 1
   Reset your body clock. You can change your sleeping pattern by simply going to bed at the same time every night and getting up at the same time every morning.^[3] Set an a alarm clock for an early hour, preferably leaving enough time to prepare for the day without being rushed. Eventually, your body will naturally and habitually wake up at this time, counterproductive with falling asleep as well.
   
   • Persist with this routine, even when it doesn't seem like it's working. It takes a while to overcome poor sleeping habits but you're retraining your body, so persevere.
   • Don't worry about any lack of sleep from the night before. Always focus on the night ahead and make it as conducive to a good sleep as possible.
2. 2
   Tell yourself that you will wake up on time. This may sound simplistic but you need to make a decision that you won't oversleep, so that this decision enters your subconscious mind and becomes a choice to get up on time. Many people make a choice to wake up without an alarm clock and manage to do so on time every day. At least make the choice to get up on time, relying on your alarm clock.
   • Consider why you choose to oversleep. Are you using it as a means to avoid or escape from the day ahead? If so, what is it about the day ahead that is so undesirable? Dealing with creating better meaning from your life is more important than running away.
   • Do you tell yourself that you need more sleep than other people? This is an excuse. Unless you have a proven medical condition, this is a work-around the real issues, such as hating your job or not wanting to help out with something, etc. Face the real issue and stop making excuses.
3. 3
   Find a reason to get up on time every day. It is possible that your morning routineconsists of get up, get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth and run out the door. Amid this there may also be making lunches, organizing other people (especially children) and hurriedly grabbing the things you need to take to work, studies, etc. If you don't fit in time to do something you like doing, then there is less reason to get up on time. Find something you'd like to be doing and make the time to add it in first thing in the morning, even if this means an earlier bedtime. For example, you might like to read for half an hour or write in your journal. Or perhaps this is a great time for a jog, walk with the dog or an exercise routine. Early morning workouts are beneficial for you for the rest of the day, so this could be a great way to begin your day and a good reason to leap out of bed on time.
   • Some negative motivations for not staying in bed include the fact that people who sleep 9-11 hours appear to have a 38 percent increased chance of coronary heart disease, increased headaches during the day, back pain, obesity and earlier death.^[4]
   • Focus on the time wasted as you're sleeping. That's time you can't get back and you could be doing something creative, exciting, constructive, interesting and worthwhile.
   • If you're familiar with feeling groggy all day as an over-sleeper, you can blame having too much sleep as the cause.^[4]
4. 4
   Reduce your level of hours spent sleeping gradually. If you have been sleeping 11 hours and you want to get down to 8 hours of sleep per night, do this in increments over periods such as a week. For example, try getting up half an hour earlier in the first week, then another half an hour the next week, and so on, until you reach your target of 8 hours per night. This gradual method will ease you into a better sleeping schedule rather than jolting you into it, and you're more likely to stick with it when done slowly.
5. 5
   Don't overwork yourself. Take short breaks when necessary, organize your workload, and go outside for fresh air if you start to feel tired. Taking stress to bed can be a cause of oversleeping, so learn to manage stress better and to switch off from the day's worries before bedtime.
   
6. 6
   During the day, take a nap if possible. This helps to refresh and energize your body for working in the afternoon. Keep the nap to 20 minutes before 3pm though;^[3] you don't want to take away a reason to sleep properly during the night, which can cause a new set of problems!
   
7. 7
   Get some sunshine every day. This will help to regulate your sleep cycle because the sun sets your body clock.^[3]
8. 8
   Exercise. It's not only good for you, but studies have shown it helps to regulate sleep cycles as well, and it boosts your mood and lifts your energy, more reasons to help you to seek less sleep.^[5]
   
   • Don't exercise too close to bedtime. This can cause you to not fall asleep as you're over-energized, thereby risking sleeping in when you do finally fall asleep.

On getting up

1. 1
   Take a cold shower. This will help you to wake up more easily. However, if you really don't like the cold, splashing cold water on your face only with a face washer can be as effective upon getting up.
   
2. 2
   Have a light, healthy breakfast. An overload of fats, sugar, carbohydrates, calories, etc. too early in the day is not only unhealthy, but will make you feel even more tired and sluggish throughout the day, causing you to seek more sleep at night.
   

How to Enhance Your Best Smile With Dental Implements

At some point in almost everyone's life, a tooth needs to be removed. It may be damaged in an accident, or it may decay and come out on its own or with help from a dentist. Sometimes a dentist needs to remove a crooked tooth to create space for others. When you find yourself missing a tooth for any reason, your dentist may consider replacing it with dental implants.

Steps

1. 1
   You can prevent problems in the long term, it is better to replace missing teeth as soon as possible. Time says the jaw begins to deteriorate when the tooth does not take so drastic a change in appearance. Over time, the less the support of the bone is what is even more difficult is the system installed. The longer you wait, the fewer options may be. A dental implant is a titanium post that is embedded in the gum. It works just like the root of the tooth and the tooth must be strongly being added later. They are very strong, but you have to worry about them, as you natural tooth. This means that to maintain a clean denture tooth brushing and flossing regularly and visiting the dentist checks.
2. 2
   If you experience this type of denture, you may be wondering what the procedure entails. Your dentist will create a space for the implant into the jawbone. This is done using a special dental drill that your dentist is very experienced with. Using X-rays, the exact location and determination of titanium implants to be fitted. After it is established, it takes a number of months to move from the bone to form around the implant. In this way, it will be handled almost as strong as your natural tooth. If an artificial tooth is attached to the implant too soon, you can not get the result you were hoping to achieve. The healing process will be closely monitored by your dentist.
3. 3
   Once the professional has determined that the implant is strongly linked to the jaw, which is equipped with artificial teeth. This may be a replica of ancient porcelain tooth, bridge, or other dental prostheses. Your dentist will decide what works best for you. This can be fixed or removable, depending on your particular situation. Replacing a missing tooth or teeth have benefits beyond their appearance. It is important for your overall health, too. Missing teeth can affect the food we eat, how your face and jaw feels and how to interact with others. A healthy smile builds confidence. Dental implants are a way to get a healthy smile.

How to Effectively Use Muscle Building Book

There are a few things that you should know before you start on your muscle building quest and these things will end up being vital to how successful your journey is and also how quickly you see results. Muscle building books will end up being the best investments you make when it comes to body and muscle building and they can provide a wealth of information on how to go about it in the best way as well as letting you in on a few diet and supplement secrets.

Steps

1. 1
   Find a muscle building book which you consider instructive and helpful. The best thing about muscle building books is that they are so easy to come by and it will not take you very long to find one that will suit your needs and also your budget. If you are new to the world of muscle building then it may be worthwhile you buying second hand books or visiting your local library to have a good look at some of the books that are available on the market. In this way you are not investing your hard earned cash on books that you may find are useful to your requirements and if you do like the nooks that you have read then you can always buy them at a later date.
   
   
2. 2
   The muscle building books that are considered to be the best are fairly readily accessible.To first find out which of these would be the best option for you it is well worth speaking to others that are fairly experienced in muscle building and ask which of the books that they found to be particularly useful. You could also try having a look at various internet forums that are specific to muscle building and see which books have been talked about with high regard on there. You can ask questions on the forums as well which will make your muscle building books choice easier and you are guaranteed to get the right one for you.
3. 3
   A lot of people are no longer using muscle building books to help them to achieve the perfect body and are opting for information that is readily available on the internet. But unless you can print out endless pages of information, this might not be the best option for you. Muscle building books can be browsed over at your own leisure whenever you feel like it and you can take the books along with you to the gym and other places that you may frequent and that is what makes them so convenient.
4. 4
   Freedom of choice! There are so many differing types of muscle building books that you can choose to buy depending on which part of your muscle building quest you are looking to make easier and better. There are books that can help with the best supplements, some that will help with the best weight lifting techniques and other exercises and there are even those that focus primarily on the diet so really, it is up to each individual user to decide what he or she wants.
   
   

How to Be Charming

Charm is the art of having an attractive personality. This characteristic can be achieved only over a period of time. While everyone is born with differing amounts of natural charm, much can be acquired and honed through practice and patience. As with dancing, the more you practice, the better you will become.

Steps

1. 1
   Be genuinely interested in people. You don't have to love everyone, but you should be curious or fascinated by people in some way. If you're empathic, maybe you're interested in how people feel. Or you could be interested in how people work (psychology), or what people know (if you're an avid learner). Learn how to ask questions based on your interests while being polite (i.e. without prying) and others will feel they are interesting.
2. 2
   Remember people's names when you meet them for the first time. This takes an enormous amount of effort for most people. When introducing yourself, repeating the person's name will help you to remember it. For example: "Hi, Jack, I'm Wendy." Follow through with small talk and use the person's name during your conversation. Repeat it once more when you say goodbye. Repeating someone's name is not just about helping you to remember that person. The more often you say someone's name, the more that person will feel that you like them and the greater the chance they'll warm up to you.
   
3. 3
   Assume rapport. This simply means talking to a stranger or a newly met acquaintance in a very friendly manner, as if the person is a long lost friend or relative. This helps break down an initial awkwardness and speeds up the warm-up process when meeting new people. Soon, people feel more welcomed and comfortable around you.
   
   • Kindness, coupled with respect, makes others feel as if they are loved and cared for. This is a powerful tool during interaction.
4. 4
   Smile with your eyes. Scientists have pinpointed more than 50 types of smiles, and research suggests that the sincerest smile of all is the Duchenne smile - a smile that pushes up into the eyes.^[1] The reason it's more genuine is because the muscles needed to smile with our eyes are involuntary; they only become engaged in an authentic smile, not in a courtesy smile.^[2] Also, if you look at someone and then smile, it will instantly charm them.
5. 5
   Take into account topics that interest those around you, even if you're not so keen on them. If you're in a sporty crowd, talk about last night's game or the meteoric rise of a new team. If you're with a group of hobbyists, ask about their hobbies and make pertinent remarks related to fishing, knitting, mountain climbing, movies, etc. Nobody expects you to be an expert. Sometimes you can build rapport just by asking questions, and not caring if you seem naive. There are people who like talking about and explaining their interests, and will like you for listening. It is your level of interest and willingness to engage in topics that makes you an interesting person to be around. Exercise an open mind. Let others do the explaining. If someone mistakenly thinks you know more about the topic, be genuine and simply say that your knowledge is limited but that you're hoping to learn more about it.
6. 6
   Control your tone of voice. The tone of your voice is crucial. Voice should be gentle and peaceful. Articulate, speak clearly, and project your voice. When you say "You look nice today", it should be in the exact same tone that you would use to say "It's a nice day." Any variation from your normal tone will arouse suspicion about your sincerity. Practice giving compliments into a recorder and play it back. Does it sound sincere? Practice until you get it right.
   
7. 7
   Watch the way you phrase things. Be mature and have a touch of wise, polite language. Don't you find people that say "Hello" are much more charming than people that mutter "'Sup"? Here is another example: Change "It's none of his beeswax!" to "It shouldn't be any of his concern." Of course, don't overdo it, but try to be polite and turn every negative into a positive. It will really give you charm.
8. 8
   Issue compliments generously; this especially raises others' self esteem. Pick out something that you appreciate in any situation and verbally express that appreciation. If you like something or someone, find a creative way to say it and say it immediately. If you wait too long, it may be viewed as insincere and badly timed, especially if others have beaten you to it. Because you waited, you are most likely not confident in saying what you thought; waiting will result in a less than enthusiastic presentation. If you notice that someone is putting a lot of effort into something, compliment them, even if you feel that there is room for improvement. If you notice that someone has changed something about themselves (haircut, manner of dress, etc.), notice it and point out something you like about it. If you're asked directly, be charming and deflect the question with a very general compliment.
   
9. 9
   Be gracious in accepting compliments. Get out of the habit of assuming that a compliment is being given without genuine intent. Even when someone makes a compliment out of contempt, there is always a germ of jealous truth hiding in their own heart. Be effusive in accepting the compliment. Go beyond a mere "Thank you" and enjoin this with "I'm glad you like it," or "It is so kind of you to have noticed." These are compliments in return.
   • Avoid backhanding a compliment. There is nothing worse to a person complimenting than to receive the response "Oh well, I wish I were as ______ as you in that situation." This is tantamount to saying, "No, I am not what you are saying I am; your judgment is wrong."
10. 10
    Praise others instead of gossiping. If you're speaking with someone or you're talking in a group of people, and up pops the subject of another person in a positive or negative way, be the one to mention something you like about that person. Kind hearsay is the most powerful tool in gaining charm because it is always viewed as 100 percent sincere. It has the added benefit of creating trust in you. The idea will spread that you never have a bad word to say about anyone. Everyone will know that their reputation is safe with you.
11. 11
    Sometimes being charming is about simply being a good listener. Charm isn't always an outward expression, but an inward one too. Engage the other person to talk more about his or herself, about something that they like, something they're passionate about, about themselves. This makes the other person more comfortable to share and express themselves with you.