Sleepy Saturday

This is one of my favorites…who doesn’t love a tip that recommends getting more rest?! Here are a few snooze strategies. First things first: Your goal is to aim for 7 to 9 hours of shuteye each night. Snoozing lets your body and mind reset and recharge. It helps decrease the risk for diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and more. And it increases your energy during the day.

Tips to help you hit the mark:

-Aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This will help your body develop a rhythm and routine. Try to do this even on weekends, when you’re tempted to stay up later and sleep in longer. If you’re nowhere near this 7-hour mark, slowly build up by adding 10 to 15 more minutes each night until you work up to an hour. That may mean turning off the TV and putting the phone down so you can hit the sack a little earlier. Research shows the blue light from screens can suppress melatonin (the sleep hormone). Try to keep phones and computers out of the bedroom.

-Be careful what you eat or drink before bed. A few cocktails can make you sleepy at first, but alcohol impacts sleep quality, leading to repeated awakenings. Skip sipping at least four hours before bed. Also lay off heavy meals, which switches the body’s attention from sleep to digestion. Try to eat your dinner at least three hours before bed. And finally, aim to have your last caffeinated drink 8 to 10 hours before bed. Caffeine has a half-life of about 5 hours, meaning half the caffeine you drink will be in your system about 5 hours later, and it can take long 10 hours to leave your bloodstream. 

-Finally, create a sleep haven by making your room as comfortable as possible; set your thermostat to 65 to 70˚ and consider a weighted blanket. Remove any distractions by investing in darkening blinds to block any light and using a noise machine to drown out noises from the street or a snoring partner. Sweet dreams!

Love coffee? Try these low-cal coffee hacks.