These
sleep hacks can help you catch the best ZZZs possible. Give one a whirl!
Getting a
good night’s sleep is just a dream for a lot of people—and it takes more than
counting sheep to drift off and stay snoozing’. While there’s certainly
no lack of tips for a solid slumber—get plenty of exercise, keep the bedroom at
a cool temperature, drink a warm glass of milk—they’re often as tired as the
sleep-deprived people they’re meant to help.
A new
generation of sleep hacks—some unconventional, others counter-intuitive—could
maybe, just maybe, solve your sleepy-time problems. So kick the jumping sheep
to the curb (unless they’re working for you, then keep on counting!). Here are
seven fresh tips you can try ASAP:
1. Eat to
sleep.
Eating
before you go to sleep is a no-no… right? Actually, no. Research has found that
eating a small portion of food—carbohydrates combined with either calcium or a
protein containing the amino acid tryptophan—can lead to a better night’s
sleep. These food
combinations boost serotonin, a brain chemical that helps produce calm. The
snack should be eaten about an hour before bedtime.
2. Stay
put if you can’t doze off.
Conventional
wisdom says, if you can’t sleep, get out of bed. But it’s often better to
stay between the sheets. Lie in the dark, head on pillow, and do deep breathing or
visualization exercises until you feel drowsy instead.
3. Have a
cup of joe.
Caffeine
is the enemy when it comes to sleep—or at least that’s what you’re used to
hearing. Yet a UK study found that people who took a “coffee nap”—they drank one to two cups of
coffee and then immediately took a 20-minute nap—not only fell asleep but awoke
more alert and energized.
4. Smell
the ZZZs.
Some scents appear to
help people drift into sleep. The smells of lavender, chamomile and yang-ylang,
to name a few, activate the alpha wave activity in the brain, which leads to
relaxation and sleepiness. Try mixing a few drops of essential oil and water in
a spray bottle and spritz your pillows.
5.
Colour your bedroom.
The
colour of bedroom walls can do more than impact a room’s aesthetics—it can transform your
room into a sleep haven if you choose wisely. Some colours are energizing; others promote
drowsiness. White, for instance, curbs melatonin, a hormone that helps the body
regulate its sleep-wake cycle, experts say. Better choices include browns or
navy blues, which boost the secretion of melatonin instead of reducing it.
6. Forget
the warm milk. Say hello to cherry juice.
Studies
show that drinking cherry juice
improves sleep because
it’s a natural source of melatonin and tryptophan. So stop by the grocery store
on your way home and start pouring yourself eight ounces of tart cherry juice
twice a day. Voila!
7. Play
mind games.
Don’t underestimate the power of your mind—and
imagination—to help you fall asleep. Try this: Imagine the night’s rest is over
and it’s time to pop out of bed, jump in the shower, get dressed and leave the
house… preferably on a cold, wet day. The contrast between that chilling
prospect and a warm, comfy bed might just be enough
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