Everyone says they love to sleep; however, most of us don’t make it a priority. How well and how often we sleep can have a major impact on our health so why not take it more seriously?
Good sleep can:
- Boost muscle mass and repair tissue
- Improve your memory
- Improve brain function
- Help heal and repair heart and blood vessels
- Increase focus
- Put you in a better mood
- Help balance hormones which can help lower risk of obesity and even diabetes
- Help build up your immune system
- The list goes on and on
Most of us know we need 7 to 9 hours of sleep to function properly but what are we doing to make sure the quality of that sleep is where it should be? Here are a few quick tips to help you get the most out of your sleep.
- Sleep In A Blacked Out Room – Your body reacts to light. Obviously your eyes do but your whole body does as well. Sleeping with light in your bedroom or coming in from the outside can make your body think it needs to be alert and therefore not let you reach a really deep sleep needed for all the benefits above. An eye mask is a start but as I stated above, the rest of your body reacts to light too. Try to find some black out shades that don’t let any light into your bedroom. Don’t forget the small lights coming from computers, phones, etc. Cover up all lights or better yet, leave electronics outside of your bedroom altogether. This small change will make a huge difference in your sleep.
- Make Sure It’s Quiet – Noise can trigger your body to be alert just as much as light can. Do what you can to limit all noise in and around your bedroom. Don’t run the washing machine or dishwasher if you can hear it from your bed. If you live in a city you may want to consider comfortable ear plugs as well.
- Sleep In A Cold Room – The sun and temperature going down are signals to your body that it’s time to rest. Don’t confuse your body by blasting the heat and covering up too much. Most studies show the ideal sleep temperature is between 60 and 67 degrees so set your thermostat to keep you cool in a summer and your heat to go off in the winter.
- Relax For An Hour Before Bed – Most of us are overstimulated throughout the whole day and that doesn’t change when we go to bed. Many will be scrolling through Instagram or texting right up until the moment they fall asleep. Disconnect for a bit. Put your phone on “Do Not Disturb” an hour before bed and leave it in another room. You won’t miss anything, I promise.
Give these few tips a try and you’ll be amazed how the quality of your sleep (and your health) will change.
Coach Mike N
Currently shutting off his computer and getting ready for bed in an hour.
