If you’ve ever lived with someone who snores, you know how a lack of sleep can negatively affect your day. You’re tired, irritable, and not functioning anywhere near your best. This is true for anyone who misses a much needed nap – snorer or not. Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to make sure you’re getting the perfect amount of sleep for your body, whether that’s creating the most comfortable bedroom possible or a rich snack with melatonin in the evening. Mental Floss and Cheribundi have teamed up to share these six simple tips—all backed by science—to enhance and improve your rest.
Imagine walking into a soothing, cool room in the evening, surrounded by relaxing colors and floating down on a cloud of pillows, blankets and a super comfy bed. It sounds like heaven – and it could be your reality. If you make your bedroom a sanctuary for sleep, your brain will begin to recognize that it’s time to sleep as soon as you walk through the door. Set the temperature to about 65°F, the optimal temperature for sleep. Paint the walls in a color that relaxes you. Put electronics away. Keep your room tidy and use the mattress, pillows and blankets that you find most comfortable. Your bed should be made of natural fibers that breathe. Then, you’ll count down the minutes until bedtime.
We all know not to drink a ton of caffeine before bed, but avoiding alcohol is also a good idea. That glass of wine may make you feel relaxed in the short term, but overall, it will disrupt your REM cycle. As for food, don’t go to bed too full or on a completely empty stomach. If you are full or hungry, you will have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep because you are uncomfortable. Eat a snack before bed if you need to, and try not to eat too much for dinner or too late.
You don’t have to I sunbathe sunbathe, but try to get at least some natural sunlight in the morning after waking up. Natural light suppresses melatonin, so some exposure to sunlight will help you start your day refreshed and banish any lingering sleepiness. As it comes later in the day, try to avoid being in the sunlight for a long period of time so as not to discourage your body from creating melatonin in preparation for sleep. Getting some sun in the morning also helps you stay more awake throughout the day, which means you’ll be more ready for sleep by the time you go to bed.
Hitting 300 kicks right before bed is definitely not conducive to rest, so work the workout into your morning or afternoon routine. Studies show that an exercise routine during the day improves the quality of sleep that night – but don’t feel like you have to start going to the gym every day for an hour if you don’t normally exercise. You can do small things to add more physical activity to your day, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work, or walking to the grocery store and carrying your bags instead of driving. Also, be sure to stand up for a few minutes at least once an hour; don’t sit at your desk all day without a break. A less sedentary lifestyle is your ticket to a restful night.
Melatonin is a little common with sleep, but that’s for a good reason: it works. The hormone, produced in the pineal gland, has an almost hypnotic effect, lowering body temperature and calming you down, creating the optimal mental and physiological state for sleep. Even if you work the night shift, melatonin can help you get some sleep, no matter where the sun is in the sky. Melatonin is sold in supplements and you can add foods that have it to your dinner diet. Tart cherries have one of the highest concentrations of melatonin of any fruit (and they are one of the few fruits where it occurs naturally). Nuts, eggs and fish are other great options.
If we can learn anything from children, it’s that a bedtime ritual helps us fall asleep. Set yourself a regular bedtime, then, about an hour before you want to sleep, start winding down. You don’t need someone to tuck you in and read you a story (unless you really feel like it), but try turning off your phone (it emits blue light that disrupts your circadian rhythms) while drinking a cup of herbal tea or reading. Almost any activity that helps your mind wind down from the day would be a good option.
Getting a good night’s sleep is vital to your physical and mental health – and one way to get the rest your body needs is with the help of melatonin. Cheribundi tart cherry juice is packed with this powerful antioxidant, which is It is scientifically proven to promote deeper and more restful sleep. In addition to melatonin, tart cherries also contain antioxidants and phytonutrients that studies have shown reduce muscle soreness and inflammation after exercise. Cheribundi was created 20 years ago and is used by nearly 400 professional and collegiate sports teams in the US today.