Americans are sleeping less and less than ever before, and it's having a significant impact on our physical and mental health. A new study found that the bodies of healthy men who were getting 5 hours or less of sleep a night for four nights a week shifted the way they metabolized fat. They no longer were getting rid of the lipids that clogged arteries, but rather, were storing them.1 Mentally, lack of sleep is also linked to increased rates of anxiety and depression.
So, what can we do about it? Read on to find 5 steps you can take tonight for a solid night of sleep.
1) Step away from your phone & electronics 1-2 hours before bed time.
The blue light that is emitted from your electronics disturbs your sleep patterns. It tricks your body to thinking it's still day time and that therefore you should be up and running. It interferes with your body's natural circadian rhythm and makes it harder for you to fall asleep. Turn off your phone (or at least put it away) & shut down your computer, 1-2 hours before you plan to go to bed.
2) Do something relaxing before bed time.
No, this doesn't involve endless scrolling on your instagram feed or reading work emails. Instead, try reading a book or listening to relaxing music. You can do some gentle stretching, or try journaling for a while. Writing down everything on your mind and making your to-do list (or just doing a brain dump) before getting ready for bed can ease your mind and help you let go of some stress and anxiety from the day. You could also try taking a warm bath and soaking for 10 minutes to let go of some of the built up tension from your day.
3) Make sure your room is as dark as possible for optimal sleep.
Invest in blackout curtains for your bedroom windows and make sure that your room is a cool temperature. Dark and cool is best for optimal sleep. You can also invest in an eye mask to block out unwanted light.
4) Try out a sound machine with white noise.
If you are a parent, you know that white noise machines can work magic for babies' sleep. But the same is true for your own sleep. Try out a sound machine. The white noise can drown out unwanted noise from the street or other noises from your house. It's also incredibly soothing.
5) Diffuse lavender.
Using a diffuser has dual benefits. The lavender is a calming and soothing scent that can relax your nerves and cue your body to unwind, while the diffuser also adds moisture to the air which is great for dry air (especially when you have the heat cranked up in the winter).
Major bonus points if you can do all of these 5 things before bed tonight, but starting with just a few can make a big difference in the quality of your sleep. With jobs becoming more and more stressful, and our time becoming more and more of a scarcity, it's important that we take steps to safeguard our health. Food and exercise are not the only things that matter when it comes to health. Sleep can be equally important to having a healthy, thriving life!
1Source: Healthline: "Here's What Getting Less Than 7 Hours of Sleep A Night Can Do to You."
Payal Arora is a Certified Health Coach and the owner of Arora Wellness. She works with mothers who are struggling to find time to take care of everyone and everything in their lives, including themselves. By teaching them easy and repeatable healthy lifestyle routines, Payal helps mothers build strength, confidence and live their healthiest, most vibrant lives possible, right now. For more healthy living tips, check out Payal's Free Download: 5 Ways to More Fun (Without the Guilt).