Beep. Beep. Beep.
It’s 5:30 am., and that pesky alarm is going off. If you wake up feeling like you didn’t get a wink of sleep, you are not alone. Nearly half of Americans struggle with getting a good night’s sleep. Although the cause of sleep deprivation may be medically complicated, some behavioral patterns also may be contributing. What if you could follow a simple formula that could help you wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead? Following this 5-step formula, you will set yourself up for a successful night’s sleep. Continue reading to learn more.
10 hours before bed - No more caffeine
Stop drinking all caffeinated beverages ten hours before bed. This is generally the amount of time required for your body to clear it from the bloodstream and eliminate its stimulatory effects.
3 hours before bed - No more food or alcohol
Finish eating big meals and drinking alcohol three hours before bed. This will help you avoid heartburn (gastric reflux) and interrupted sleep. Alcohol might make you feel sleepy, but it impairs your natural sleep cycle and interrupts valuable deep sleep.
2 hours before bed - No more work
End all work-related activities two hours before bed. No more phone calls, emails, reports, or thinking about the next day.
1 hour before bed - No more screen time
Turn off all electronics (phones, TVs and computers) one hour before bed. The blue light emitted from screens makes it difficult to fall asleep. Spend the final hour reading real books, talking with your family, meditating, taking a bath, or enjoying “other” activities in the privacy of your bedroom
0 the number of times you will hit the snooze button in the morning
The last temptation to avoid comes first thing in the morning. If you wake up to the sound of an alarm, you will be tempted to hit the snooze button. Don’t. Not only will it make you late for your day and interfere with winning your morning, but going back to sleep for a few minutes actually makes you more tired than if you had started your day immediately
By increasing the quality of sleep you are getting, you will improve your overall health. Let’s stop hitting that snooze button and start waking up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day.
If you are concerned that your sleep, or your loved ones' sleep, is impacted by an underlying sleep disorder, then please hit the blue button below to take a free online sleep test and talk with one of our sleep health professionals.
