Good Night?

​Do you sleep well? And what exactly is sleeping well for you?  Is it about the duration or how you feel when you wake up in the morning?  Sleep is part of the healthy trifecta (along with eating & moving) and it is vital to our total well-being.  If you are looking to improve your sleep quantity and or quality, consider trying one or some of the following:
 

• Limit the amount of sugar you enjoy, especially the nighttime sweet stuff

 

• Sleep like a bear and keep your bedroom cool, dark and animal-free

 

• Set a bedtime, and stick to it (set a bedtime alarm if you need to)

 

• Avoid heavy meals late at night 

 

• Limit caffeine after 2 p.m.

 

• Enjoy ONE glass of wine/beer/mixed drink with dinner and avoid all alcohol close to bedtime(it might seem like it helps you fall asleep faster, but alcohol is a true sleep disruptor later in the sleep cycle)

 

• Block the blue light from any screens prior to going to bed and consider shutting any screens down within an hour of your bedtime

 

• Clear your mind by writing a to do or a to don’t list before going to bed to avoid obsessing over random thoughts

 

• Establish a bedtime routine; washing your face, reading, meditating journaling, putting pajamas on or anything that works for you and stick with it.  As it becomes habit and a part of your nightly flow, it will signal to your brain that it is time to sleep and re-energize for the next day

 

• Don’t go to bed hungry or hangry.  If your stomach is rumbling around bedtime, treat yourself to some hummus (chickpeas are rich in Vitamin B6 and tryptophan, both of which help your body make serotonin, which can then be converted into melatonin , the hormone that helps tell your brain it is bedtime) or a little honey mixed into chamomile tea(together these have relaxation-promoting properties) or try snacking on a few black walnuts(melatonin powerhouses)

 
Make it a good night and sleep well tonight and every night.