Sleep is crazy important.
Everyone knows regularly not getting enough sleep is really bad for your health, but we still often get six hours or less!
Sometimes, people wake up more tired than they were when they laid down!
So follow these four tips to help you get to sleep faster:
1. E-Curfew 30 minutes before you sleep. Tablets, phones, laptops, televisions and all that stuff are bad before bed. A study by Applied Ergonomics showed that the brightness from iPad screens, when set to the brightest setting, can suppress melatonin by 22% which can fake your body into thinking it’s morning when it’s really night.
2. Eat breakfast in the early AM. People who eat breakfast are smarter and hotter. A study of 6,000 students found that the ones who ate breakfast had better grades and higher graduation rates. Breakfast eaters are also 40% less likely to develop fat around the belly than those you don’t. Eating a protein-and-whole-grain-packed breakfast as close as possible to your wake-up time will keep you alert and focused throughout the day.
3. Cut caffeine after lunch. A poll from Sleep in America stated that 43% of Americans are “very likely” to use coffee to fight afternoon sleepiness. Late afternoon caffeine boosts can last anywhere from 3 to 12 hours and make it tough to fall and stay asleep.
4. Exercise at least 3 hours before sleep. A study done back in 2008-2009 by Oregon State University showed that people who exercised regularly, about 20 minutes of cardio a day, slept better at night than those who didn’t. Just don’t exercise too soon before bed as the rush may disrupt your sleep.
What great tips!
Lots of sleep not only helps you NOT gain weight, it can also help build muscle too!
So remember, next time you’re wondering if you should order a pizza and watch the late night Lord of the Rings marathon or not├óΓé¼┬ª maybe just go to bed!
[Image via Wikimedia Commons.]
