Healthy Life: Tips for Healthy Sleep
By Sabina Brownstein
Getting enough quality sleep is one of the most important factors in staying healthy. Sleep is your body’s time to heal, recharge and restore itself. Numerous studies are proving that the benefits of proper sleep include promoting longevity, improving memory, sharpening attention span, reduced stress, and increased energy. Here are some tips for getting the seven or eight hours of peaceful sleep each night that most of us need to stay healthy.
Create your bedroom to be ideal for sleeping - this means cool, dark and quiet. Exposure to light and/or noise makes it hard to fall asleep and to sleep peacefully. A good quality mattress and a comfortable pillow help to support healthy sleep posture in your back, head, neck, and shoulders.
What you eat or drink within a couple of hours before bedtime can wreak havoc on quality sleep. Avoid large meals, coffee and alcohol. The stimulating effects of caffeine take hours to wear off, and even though alcohol might make you feel sleepy, it can disrupt sleep later in the night. Also, try to limit the difference between your sleep schedules on weeknights and weekends. Being consistent reinforces your body’s sleep-wake cycle. •
