3 Surprising Ways to Get Better Sleep

Sleep deprived? You are not alone.

One in three Americans are not getting the recommended seven hours of sleep a night, and that recommendation might be too low for some people.

The Cost of Sleep Deprivation

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society, sleeping less than seven hours a day is associated with an increased risk of developing chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and frequent mental stress. (1)

Besides serious health problems, not enough sleep can lead to accidents, decreased intelligence, decreased sex drive, depression, aging skin, weight gain, impaired judgement and death.

Just hearing those statistics increases my mental stress.

And of-course stress can cause or increase sleep difficulties. Urrgh!

Can You Make Up for Lost Sleep During the Day?

Unbeknownst to the masses, there is one option that can help replace the sleep you didn’t get last night.

It doesn’t take long and there are no negative side effects.

In fact, there are several amazing benefits.

Meditation Back Light Saint Aura Meditating Yoga 198958

That’s right – Meditation.

A quick 20 minute “med” as we call them in our home, gives your body the same rest as it would during a 1 1/2-hour nap, but without waking up with that groggy, “sleep hangover” feeling. (2) In fact, you will probably get an energy boost instead.

Meditation also improves memory. (“Now where did I put those keys?”)

It enhances attention and creativity, slows the aging process, and turns off the stress response.

It actually reverses most of the problems that lack of sleep creates!

But I digress. More about meditation in other articles.

Back to sleep.

How Relaxation Exercises Can Help You Sleep

Generally, you don’t want to do physical exercise right before going to bed because it makes it even harder to “wind-down” and relax so you can fall asleep. But relaxation exercises are different.

Listening to a guided relaxation exercise or the right types of music before bed can initiate that relaxation response and help you fall asleep more quickly and more deeply.

Last Tip: Get Some Sunshine

What does the bright light of the sun have to do with a great night’s sleep? A lot.

Bright light and darkness work together to regulate melatonin, the hormone that induces sleep.

When blue light from the sun or artificial sources such as computer screens fades, melatonin production kicks in. This is why sleep experts tell us to turn off the screens at least an hour before bed to help us sleep better.

For more information on how that all works check out this article Why Bright Lights and Dark Nights are Essential for Sleep.

Phyllis Zee, a Northwestern Medicine neurologist and sleep specialist explains there are even more benefits to getting outside, even in the winter time.

“There is increasing evidence that exposure to light during the day, particularly in the morning, is beneficial to your health via its effects on mood, alertness and metabolism.” (3)

However, if you are too cold to get outside in the winter, I have found a few great Sun Lights to fill the need of bright lights, which you can find here.