Are You Wearily Dozing Through the Day But Sleeplessly Suffering at Night? Shirley Meerson Recommends Daytime Habits to Help You Succeed
Sleep For Longevity – Your Brain Depends On It
By Shirley Meerson, CHWC ~ NABBW’s Ageless Wellness Lifestyle Associate
Sleep is a top priority for your ageless wellness lifestyle. You may not realize that some of your daytime habits may be the cause of your failure to have regular restful sleep at night.
Have you tuned into the fact that a good night’s sleep is just as important as regular exercise and a healthy diet?
Sleep provides a list of restorative powers and allows you to function at your best. The healing that occurs during sleep affects your hormones, inflammation, brain health, stress, and immune system.
Your nervous system relies on sleep for its brain health, resulting in mood, energy levels, and cognitive fitness. For more details on how your brain benefits from sleep, check out my YouTube channel, where I have an excellent video clip discussion on how your brain benefits from sleep.
Use these Ageless Wellness Lifestyle tips for your daytime habits – habits that happen hours and hours before your bedtime.
Limit your caffeine intake. Don’t drink any caffeine after 2PM. Caffeine does have many benefits, but it stimulates your nervous system and does not allow your body to relax at night. And keep an eye on the black teas that you drink such as English Breakfast and Earl Grey due to their caffeine quantity.- Maintain a regular schedule of meals, exercise, and other activities. This helps to set your body’s circadian rhythm.
- Try getting daily sunlight exposure – this keeps your circadian rhythm healthy. Go for the morning sunlight. Let as much natural light into your home or workspace as possible.
- Limit your alcohol intake. Having too many drinks in the evening can negatively affect the quality of your sleep.
- Don’t smoke! Like caffeine, tobacco is a stimulant that can keep you from getting to sleep.
- Treat medical problems that may interfere with your night-time sleep. Problems such as chronic pain or anxiety can keep you awake all night.
- Cut down on irregular or long daytime naps. Short power naps are OK, but sleeping during the daytime can confuse your internal clock and make it difficult to sleep at night.
- Exercise is great, but not before bed. The stimulatory effect of exercise increases alertness and hormones like epinephrine and adrenaline. Avoid vigorous activity for at least one hour before bedtime.
- Eat a lighter dinner several hours before bed. If you are hungry later, snack lightly on foods that don’t disturb your sleep.
Sleep is critical in supporting your well-being all through your life. Make a commitment to put your sleep at the top of your self-care.
Make your life easier with one of my Personalized Wellness Packages, focused on helping you update your habits, goals, and prevention. Link right here to get on my calendar.
