Sleep is a chance for our body and brain to recharge. When we don't rest sufficiently, we find ourselves feeling sluggish and tired. If a good night’s sleep is currently a struggle, let these tips from our fitness experts help get you back on the road to feeling and looking your best.
Sleep is a chance for our body and brain to recharge. When we don't rest sufficiently, we find ourselves feeling sluggish and tired. Moreover, insufficient sleep also puts us at greater risk for health conditions like stroke and heart disease. If that isn't enough to stimulate you to get enough rest at night, perhaps the fact that sleep helps us look younger might help: it helps the body produce growth hormone, which allows you to maintain skin elasticity.
If a good night’s sleep is currently a struggle, let these tips from our fitness experts help get you back on the road to feeling and looking your best.
According to research, sleep does so much more than just keep you healthy and feel rested. It also allows you to look your best, giving you a glow that most people craving for. Here are a few ways to make the best of your sleeping habits to stay healthy and look and feel younger.
If you find yourself tossing and turning because of discomfort at night, it might be time to get a new mattress — sagging and lumpiness are clear signs that it's time for an upgrade. Also, consider investing in new pillows and linens that suit your style and come in comfortable fabric, like silk and cotton.
The way you set up your sleeping room can play a significant role in how much and the kind of rest you receive during the night. First, check your light sources. Even if it’s not glaring, light can affect your sleeping cycle, pulling you out of the more restful and rewarding stages of rest and leading you to a less productive and lighter sleep. Using blackout curtains to keep light out is a great idea, as is investing in a sound machine or a speaker to block outside noise with soothing sounds. Ambient noise can be just as disruptive to sleep as light, so it’s important to keep it in check, as well.
Caffeine has a half-life of six to eight hours, which means that after approximately seven hours, half of the caffeine you've consumed is still in your system. Because of this, experts recommend completely stopping caffeine intake at around 2 pm. This will allow you the necessary time to get at least half of the caffeine out of your system before bedtime. If you're really into coffee and like to drink several cups throughout the day, you can switch to decaffeinated drinks after 2 p.m.
There's no need to toot the horn of exercise when it comes to our health because we all know its benefits. Still, you might not have known that proper exercise is the ideal way to enhance sleep quality. Around 20 to 25 minutes of moderate exercise will do the trick — there's no need to even head for the gym. Moderate exercise is any movement type that gets your heart rate up a bit, including walking, slow dancing, light yoga, and stretching.
That being said, don’t try to make massive changes overnight. Improving your routine and adapting a healthy lifestyle takes time, so as ZenBusiness recommends, try setting simple, realistic workout goals and increasing the difficulty over time.
Many people also turn to other tools to get a sense of calm and relaxation in the evening and, in turn, get a good night's rest. The scent of lavender, for instance, has a calming effect and can be used in the form of essential oils or even a living plant in the bedroom. A cup of chamomile tea may also be part of your evening routine to help you relax.
Don't disregard the importance of sleep. If you follow these strategies and implement them in your nightly routine, your quality of sleep will soar. Remember that sleep is imperative to your health. It improves your well-being and mood, and it also makes you feel and look younger.
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