The National Sleep Foundation recognizes
Sleep Awareness Week to be the week of
March 14-20, 2021. The event is recognized annually, to raise awareness and encourage individuals to prioritize their
sleep health. Your circadian rhythm is like your
body's internal clock, it is a 24-hour cycle and is affected by light and darkness. Individuals can have a consistent circadian rhythm if they practice good habits, and focus on their sleep patterns.
Below are some
sleep tips for you to implement to help
prioritize your sleep. 1. Create A Routine:Creating a routine can help your body maintain your circadian rhythm. A routine can help you get the recommended amount of sleep each night. Routines can improve both the quality and length of your sleep.
2. Find A Comfortable Temperature:Room temperature is a very important factor. You do not want the temperature to be a distraction, causing you to feel too hot or too cold. The perfect temperature varies from person to person, so find out what temperature works for you!
3. Get Out Of Bed After 20 Minutes:If you can't fall asleep after about 20 minutes, try and move to another room and engage in a calming activity. These activities can include: reading, stretching, or sipping on non-caffeinated tea. Give yourself some time to calm down and relax before heading back to bed. If you spend more time tossing and turning before falling asleep you can become frustrated. This can lead to your brain associating your bed with a stress response, and making it harder to fall asleep every time you go to bed. Getting out of bed after 20 minutes can help counteract this problem, to ensure that your brain associates your bed with relaxation and restfulness.
4. Disconnect From Technology:You should plan to disconnect from technology about 30 minutes prior to going to bed. Using devices like cell phones and tablets, can delay your body's natural circadian rhythm, because the blue light can trick your mind into thinking it should be awake.
5. Wake Up At The Same Time:Waking up at the same time every day can actually help you sleep better at night. It may also make it easier to wake up each morning. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each morning and night can help the circadian rhythm and keep your internal clock in check.
It is so important to
prioritize your sleep. Good sleep has so many other
health benefits. Proper sleep can help regulate the
metabolism, and
strengthen the immune system. Use these tips, and let us know what sleep tips work for you.
