A study just came out yesterday saying that 65% of us don’t get enough sleep. Not good!
Everyone knows it’s important to “Get Your ZZZZzzzzzs”, but sometimes it can feel easier said than done. If you’re struggling to get sufficient quality sleep, it can wreak havoc on your health in various ways. Sleep helps prevent heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure and stroke, just to name a few!
We all know if we are under-slept, suddenly that donut seems much more tempting, and that extra dose of caffeine calls to us just a bit louder…
So how much sleep is right for you?
The National Sleep Foundation has a handy dandy chart, but for our purposes, let’s assume you are an average adult. Then you need between 7 – 9 hours a night.
Having a hard time getting it? Then create a sleep ritual.
Here are some crucial elements of an effective sleep ritual:
- Avoid caffeine after noon
- Don’t eat for an hour before you get into bed
- Stay out of bed until you are ready to sleep
- Turn off all screens 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime
- Sip herbal tea or warm water with lemon
- Take a warm bath or shower
- Do easy yoga or gentle stretches
- Dim the lights & light a candle (don’t forget to blow it out before bed)
- Settle into a short meditation to clear the clutter of the day from your mind
- Right before you climb into bed, turn down the thermostat or open a bedroom window
Lastly, if you are tossing & turning for over 30 minutes, get out of bed for a while and pick up your book, meditate again or try another relaxation technique. And don’t beat yourself up. It can take a while for the ritual to become a habit that tells your brain to shut off.
