Getting a good night’s rest is important for your overall health. Proper sleep can help reduce your risk of cancer, help you maintain blood pressure and cognitive function, and contribute to your overall physical and mental well-being. However, many Americans do not achieve the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night, and one out of three Americans experience insomnia, resulting in poor sleep. Dr. Luke Allen, a licensed psychologist, says it is important to associate your bed with sleeping and not activities like watching television, texting, and eating.
Healthy pre-sleep habits include not watching television late at night, avoiding an extra glass of wine, eating 2-3 hours before going to bed, and going to bed at the same time every night. Here is a list of ten things, recommended by sleep specialists, to get a good night’s sleep. Start off by incorporating one to two of these habits and then add in one or two more each week.
- Eat dinner several hours before bed time
- Switch to decaffeinated beverages in the afternoon
- Don’t do a high intensity work out in the evening
- Set an alarm for when it’s time to go to bed
- Don’t go to bed earlier if you plan to wake up earlier
- Write a to do list
- Lower your thermostat
- Avoid screens
- Engage in relaxing activities, such as taking a warm bath
- Do some stretches
For a detailed explanation of each recommendation, check out the the full article here: https://news.yahoo.com/10-things-bed-sleep-better-211649581.html to read an explanation on each recommendation.
Deering, S. (2023, March 24). 10 Things You Can Do Before Bed to Sleep Better at Night, According to Sleep MDs. Yahoo News. Retrieved from https://news.yahoo.com/10-things-bed-sleep-better-211649581.html
Zlatopolsky, A. (2023, May 1). Sleep Hygiene: What is Good Sleep Hygiene? Real Simple. https://www.realsimple.com/what-is-sleep-hygiene-7368079