A Few Ways to Sleep Better Tonight
By Sara Butler
There's a lot of information available to you about how to sleep better at night. From avoiding screens before it's time to snooze to meditating for a bit before you hit the hay, people are still struggling to fall asleep at night and stay that way. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that about one-third of Americans don't get enough quality sleep at night. There are a lot of reasons for this, but the good news is there are even more science-backed ways to overcome your barriers to better shut-eye.
You Need a Routine
Most parents know the importance of a good nighttime routine to get their little ones off to bed, but many adults don't put the same planning into action to ensure their own night's rest.
To establish a good sleep routine, follow the same bedtime each night as closely as you can. That way, your body has an easier time falling asleep at the normal time and getting up when you're used to as well. Sleeping in isn't recommended either. While it may feel good, it throws your sleep routine out of whack and doesn't actually help your body recover from a sleep deficit.
Be Cool
Do you know that your body loves to be cold, but not too cold when you sleep? It's true! Lowering your thermostat to around 68 degrees Fahrenheit sends physiological signals to your brain that lets it know it's time for sleep because when you're fast asleep, your core body temperature drops, too.
Exercise
If you can start your day off with a nice bit of exercise, then it will help you sleep better at night, too. Aerobic exercise has been found by researchers to improve sleep quality and promote sleep at night. It also helps to reduce anxiety as it lowers your risk for chronic disease such as diabetes.
Healthy adults should aim for two and a half hours of moderate activity per week or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous activity. You can choose anything from yoga to brisk walking -- as long as you get your body moving, what you do doesn't matter.
The only caveat is not to work out too late in the day or it could hurt rather than help your bedtime routine. Skip the workout in the couple of hours leading up to bed so you can get to sleep.
Sleep is important to your health, so do what you can to get enough of it!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Dallas, Tex.