Snickers has now been telling us for a while now that “You’re not you when you’re hungry”
And while that may be true, there’s even more evidence that suggests that it’s a good night sleep that really impacts whether you are yourself or not.
So what can you do if you or a friend isn’t sleeping well? Here are a couple of tips:
Turn off your devices:
Answering emails, playing video games, reading on your tablet – these things stimulate your brain at a time when it should be calming down. And beyond that, the blue glow that your screen emits has been shown to delay the release of melatonin, a hormone that helps you sleep. If you can’t keep your phone, tablet or laptop out of the bedroom, try installing F.lux, an app that automatically adjusts the brightness and color of your screen as it gets later to reduce the negative effects of your device on your sleep.
Put away the drink:
There’s a funny thing about alcohol, though it can help you get to sleep quicker, it can ruin the quality of that sleep by reducing REM sleep – and it’s REM sleep that actually makes you feel rested the next day. So for a better night’s sleep, you should avoid alcohol just like you’d avoid coffee right before bed.
Don’t ask too much of your bed:
You should only be sleeping or having sex in your bed – anything else can make sleep more difficult. And anyway, that’s a pretty good mix –there’s no need to add to it.
Get into a routine:
Don’t confuse your body – sleeping in on the weekends may sound like a great way to catch up on sleep, but it actually sets you up for being more tired. More than extra sleep, your body needs a routine – so pick times to go to sleep and to wake up that will work for you on weekdays and weekends and then stick to them.
Exercise, anytime:
Exercise boosts melatonin (the sleep hormone) and though it used to be assumed that exercise right before bed could diminish sleep quality, recent studies suggest that isn’t the case. Morning, noon, night – whenever you can find the time to exercise, it’s the right time for a good night’s sleep.
Get checked:
If you’ve tried these tips and you’re still not sleeping, if you are snoring loudly, and waking up with a dry mouth or a sore throat in the morning you may have sleep apnea. You can find out with a home sleep test: it’s an easy process that will get you answers in less than a week and in many cases it’s covered by insurance. Learn more here.
