- Your mood - Sufficient sleep allows your brain time to process emotions.
- Your heart - Blood pressure drops when you sleep. The less sleep you get, the longer your blood pressure stays elevated, which is harder on the heart and cardiovascular system.
- Your immune system - The immune cells are more effective and better able to provide a healthy response after a good night of sleep.
- Your muscles - Proper sleep provides recovery after workouts to allow the body to repair itself.
- Your diet - When you are not getting enough sleep, you’re more likely to be swayed by hormones that control your appetite. You will also tend to crave bad foods.
- Your brain - Sufficient sleep allows brains to learn better and helps consolidate memories so that you remember more of what you learn.
Not sure where to start? Start small. Pick ONE action from the list below and commit to trying it for one week to see if your sleep improves.
- Get at least 20 minutes of sunlight exposure, ideally early in the day.
- Consume no caffeine after 2 PM.
- Limit alcohol to two to four glasses per week.
- Consume no calories 2-3 hours before bedtime.
- Learn how to meditate using an app like Calm or Headspace.
- Practice breathing techniques to reduce stress.
- Pick a physical activity you enjoy and get 20-30 minutes of exercise every other day.
- Don’t wait until you are sleepy to do nightly activities, e.g., wash your face, brush your teeth.
- Make your bedroom completely dark and lower the temperature at night.
- Use your bed for only two things–sleep and sex.
- When looking at screens after sundown, wear blue-light-blocking glasses or use apps (F.lux, Redshift) or settings on your phone (Night Shift) to reduce the blue light.
- Stop using all electronic devices 1 hour before bedtime.
- Put your phone in airplane mode while you are sleeping.