Get Better Sleep with These 5 Tips from Experts
Not getting enough sleep? You're not alone.
Nearly one-third of American adults say they don't get the recommended seven to nine hours a night. Some of the major causes: stress, anxiety and a culture that experts say is about productivity, not rest.
Here are five simple tricks recommended by sleep experts to help you fall asleep and stay asleep.
Work-related stress is inevitable, and it can be hard to disconnect. Try creating a "buffer zone" between the end of your work day and your bedtime.
Experts suggest leaving work and daily responsibilities alone about an hour before bed. Don't check email, pay bills, do chores or scroll endlessly through social media. Instead, create a routine where you relax with a book or a hobby, or spend time with loved ones.
Eating a large meal right before bedtime can disrupt your sleep, so try to eat in the early evening hours.
But don't go to bed hungry, either. Try snacks with protein or healthy fats, like cheese, almonds or peanut butter on whole grain bread.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol
Having a nightcap or post-dinner espresso might feel relaxing, but it could lead to a long night.
While alcohol can help you fall asleep, it can disrupt your sleep cycle, reducing the quality of sleep and increasing the chances you'll wake up more often in the night.
Caffeine is a stimulant that blocks adenosine, a chemical that contributes to the feeling of sleepiness — and it can take your body up to 10 hours to clear caffeine.
For these reasons, experts suggest finishing caffeinated or alcoholic drinks several hours before bed.
Light from phones and computer screens can disrupt the circadian rhythm — or the internal clock that naturally wakes us up — by suppressing melatonin, a hormone that assists with sleep.
If nothing's working and you've struggled to get a good night's sleep for more than a month, experts say it's time to go to a doctor. This is especially true if your sleepless nights are interfering with your work performance or your mood.
