Counting sheep is not the only way to go to sleep. Picture: Hein Kaiser/Envato There’s nothing quite like waking up in the morning and feeling like you’ve had a good night’s rest. Then, conversely, there’s nothing worse, of course, than waking up feeling like a Zombie either.
Sleeping is when your brain recharges and discharges the energy, good and bad and fugly, from the day you’ve had. But it’s not always possible, because deadlines, kids, stress, and the day-to-day craziness of simply surviving can take their toll on quality shuteye. Controlling your exposure to light, research suggested, regulates your circadian rhythm.
Apparently, the wavelengths we are exposed to during the day influence our melatonin production and, too, the timing of our sleep and awake cycles. In the evening, the trick is to reduce bright light and particularly blue light. That’s the stuff that your phone, tablet, laptop and television gift you.
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Blue light suppresses melatonin, the hormone that tells your body it’s time to wind down. Experts often recommend putting screens away at least 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime. Your body temperature naturally drops when you fall asleep, and a cooler bedroom helps that process along.
Sleep specialists generally recommend a conventional wisdom noted temperature somewhere between 15 and 19 degrees Celsius. Exercise doesn’t just keep you in shape. Apparently, it also improves sleep quality.
Regular physical activity helps the body feel ready for sleep and reduces stress and anxiety. But of course, going to extremes is not the answer, because a hardcore workout right before bedtime can leave you wide awake with an elevated heart rate and a wired nervous system. Counting sheep may be a solution for cartoon characters, but these days replaying your schedule for the next day, before zzz-ing off, is more common than you may think. Try this trick that research online seems to suggest works: write a short to-do list before turning in.
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