Healthy Living / Eating
Your best chance at a great night’s sleep
“Sleep is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health each day.”
Wise words from Matthew Walker, neuroscientist and author of Why We Sleep. Most adults should get between six and nine hours of sleep every night, but unfortunately, a good night’s rest simply isn’t that easy to achieve for many people.
If you fall into that category, you’re not alone. About 10-15% of adults experience symptoms of insomnia, which can include:
- Brief, interrupted periods of sleep throughout the night
- Mostly (or completely!) sleepless nights
- Feeling tired in the morning, despite sleeping
- Staying awake too long at night or waking up too early
4 Ways to Improve the Quality of Your Sleep
Assess your diet
Throughout the week, make sure to incorporate plenty of fruits, vegetables, and other high-nutrient foods into your meals and snacks, and limit (or avoid) refined sugar, caffeine, and alcohol. And if you’re craving a snack close to bedtime, grab something small, like a glass of milk or a small handful of almonds.
Get some sun
Did you know that sunlight directly impacts your circadian rhythm? That’s the internal clock that, among other things, helps regulate our sleep-wake cycles. Studies show that increased exposure to real sunlight or a sun lamp can improve quality of sleep—and the increased vitamin D may help, too.
Avoid tech before bed
People are increasingly using their phones and tablets in bed, whether they’re clearing up the last couple of emails of the day, or scrolling through social media. Unfortunately, bedtime exposure to the blue light from our devices can make it difficult to fall and stay asleep.
Try a supplement
Still can’t fall asleep? There are a range of supplements that can support relaxation and promote sleep, including melatonin, chamomile, lavender, and kava kava.
