It’s clear that many American’s aren’t getting the proper amount of sleep. The National Geographic Channel may have just aired their ‘Sleepless in America’ special, but they aren’t done helping you obtain refreshing shut-eye: Check out their suggestions to get ready for sleep success every night:
1. Keep a regular sleep schedule: It’s important to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including the weekends, to keep your internal body clock in sync, boosting your sleep and how you feel in the mornings.
2. Exercise early: While exercising at anytime can improve snooze, doing it right before bed increases your chances of sleep issues as you’ll be wired and end up pushing your bedtime back. Try finishing up 3 hours before your bedtime.
3. Limit caffeine: Found in not only coffee but, tea, soda, chocolate and even some over-the-counter medications, caffeine remains in your system longer than you realize even when your work day is completely over. Cut off your intake 4-6 hours before bedtime.
4. Create a bedroom for sleep: Add blackout curtains for complete darkness, lower the temperature between 60-75 degrees Farenheit, invest in a comfortable mattress and be mindful to choose blankets and pillows that match your sleeping needs.
5. Get rid of those gadgets: Your iPad, laptop, TV, smart phone and other favorite electronic devices produce blue light, which confuses your brain into believing it’s daytime.
6. Relax before bedtime: Developing relaxing habits like taking a warm bath, stretching, reading, or writing to allow your body to really power down. Avoid anything stimulating and definitely put away your worries.
7. Don’t watch the clock: Being a clock-watcher can cause you to have more anxiety as you worry about how many hours are left before you have to get up.
8. Align yourself: Dealing with back pain can easily ruin your snooze so, place a pillow between your legs to better align your hips and reduce the pressure being placed on your lower back during the night.
9. Tune out noise: Whether it’s a your neighbor’s loud music, traffic, or your dog’s nighttime fun, block out unwanted noise using a fan, white noise machine or opt for silence with ear plugs.
10. Wake up with the sun: Get natural light exposure as soon as possible when you wake and as much as you can throughout the day. Doing so keeps your natural body clock in order, bring many more nights of refreshing sleep.
Tuck in early tonight with these tips and let us know how they work for you!
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