2023 SLEEP HABITS
New Year, New Me? It's that time of year again when everyone is starting to feel a little less motivated on their New Year's resolutions. The glamor has faded, and the reality of hard work is starting to set in. A good majority of people create resolutions to better their health and fitness, which is fantastic. But, sometimes, those resolutions go a little too far and seem quite unattainable after the first few weeks. Part of creating a tangible goal to kickstart your year should be creating something simple and attainable. And with that being said, almost every adult could use more of this one thing to improve their health: sleep. More of it and/or better quality. With better sleep comes better recovery, better satiety signals, better energy to crush your workouts, and so on.
So Where Do We Start?
Most adults need, on average, 7-9 hours of sleep per night. There are a lot of factors that come into play on why someone might not be able to hit that range. Whether it be from insomnia, anxiety, or being busy with kids, we cannot just set a goal "get more sleep" and expect it to work. We might need to try some strategies to help us get there. So, here is a list of strategies (in no particular order) you can try out for yourself:
Food/Drink
Consume some quality carbs before bed. A 4-oz glass of tart cherry juice is my favorite; it has natural melatonin.
Avoid alcohol. Even though alcohol can make us feel sleepy or doze off easily, many studies have shown the effects on sleep depth/quality alcohol has. It's not pretty.
Avoid caffeine after 12 pm. Even if you think it doesn't affect you, it definitely works against your body chemistry for sleep quality. Herbal teas or decaf coffee are a great swap.
Environment
Avoid the blue light (screens) by putting your phone on sleep mode and opting for a physical book instead. This includes turning the tv off and sleeping in a dark, silent room.
Keep your sleeping environment on the chillier side. We want to lower our core body temperature.
Follow a routine and stick to it, even on the weekends. "Put down the phone and read a book or stretch by 9 pm every night", is a great goal to attempt to improve your sleep consistency.
Other Tools
Try journaling! A brain dump before bed can ease anxiety.
Try earplugs, especially if your partner snores or you live near a high-traffic area.
Get outside and get some sunlight during the day, especially close to waking up. This reinforces the circadian rhythm of our brain.
Skip the nap. The more sleep and better sleep you get at night, the less you'll need a midday nap. Meditation midday has shown a lot of benefits to get over that sleep post-lunch feeling and can take as little as 5 minutes.
We don't need to do every single one of these tactics above to improve our sleep. Try one or two out and find what works for you!