A good night's sleep can set the mood for the entire day. Tossing and turning all night? Try these five tips to a better rest:
1. Fresh Sheets: This seems like a no brainer, right? In a recent Bedroom Poll by the National Sleep Foundation, more than three fourths of people said they are more excited to go to bed when the sheets have a fresh scent, and roughly three quarters of people say they get a more comfortable night's sleep on sheets with fresh scent. Try to wash your sheets and pillowcases once a week, and keep a good quality spare set to use while the others are being cleaned. Find a laundry detergent with a smell that is pleasing to you, or no smell at all if you prefer.
2. Set a bedtime: Michael Breus, PhD, a board-certified sleep specialist and author of Good Night: The Sleep Doctor’s 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health, says that the ideal amount of time is 7.5 hours. He shares three easy tips on how to improve your sleeping schedule.
3. Exercise: Avoid exercising too close to bedtime, but a daily dose of activity results in a much more restful sleep.
4. Expose yourself to light: Research suggests that morning exposure to bright light not only helps wake you up, but can also help you get to sleep later that night. Try a sunrise simulation alarm clock to ease your way into your day.
5. Avoid alcohol and caffeine too close to bed. A nightcap or a glass of wine seems like the perfect bedtime send-off, but the quality of sleep will be diminished.
Need more tricks? Visit Prevention Magazine for more ways to snooze easier.