Category: wellbeing

One in 10 adults experience insomnia as a chronic condition, and about 50 percent have had trouble with it at some point in their life, according to the Cleveland Clinic. 50 percent! It’s a little bit jarring to think that so many of us have a hard time getting rest — but since you’re here reading this, we’d venture to guess that your one of those people that either have trouble falling asleep at night or are habitually wake up at 3 a.m. without being able to drift off into sweet slumber again. How to get a better night’s sleep is a question that plagues almost everyone’s mind at one time or another.

We’ve all heard the usual sleep hygiene tips like avoiding caffeine, exercising regularly and switching of electronic devices a couple hours before bed — but what happens when those supposedly tried-and-true tips don’t work?

We asked Nicole Kwan, a health writer and editor, to create a list of her best recommendations to give your body a fighting chance to fall into quality, restorative sleep and stay snoozing all night long.

Try out these Hints and see her full list here — but remember, chronic insomnia is a serious condition. If you can’t sleep for prolonged periods of time, please see your doctor.

More: Why You Should Be Using CBD Products Every Damn Day

1. Switch Up Your Lighting

You know that too much screen time before bed is a bad thing, but do you know why? They’re powered by blue light — and according to Harvard research, blue light at night can suppress the secretion of melatonin (the hormone that tells your body to switch into sleep mode). While any kind of light is bad for melatonin production on one level or another, Harvard researchers found that blue light suppressed melatonin for about twice as long as green light and can shift circadian rhythms by twice as much.

Your phone already has a built-in bluelight filter option, but what about your actual lights? Turns out even LED bulbs that look white give off a bluer hue. Harvard research suggests using dim red lights for night lights because they found that red light has the least power to shift circadian rhythm and suppress melatonin. Swap your normal nightstand bulb for one with a warmer, red hue, like Lighting Science’s GoodNight bulb.

2. Shower Before Hitting the Sack

Showering about 90 minutes before bed not only helps wash the day away, but some research shows it actually helps make you sleepy.

“The body naturally cools down as bedtime approaches, in sync with the circadian rhythm,” Dr. Janet K. Kennedy, a clinical psychologist and sleep expert in New York told the New York Times. “Showering artificially raises the temperature again and allows for a faster cool down, which seems to hasten sleep.”

To double down on your sleepy shower, use this softening body lotion from Lush after for its calming and balancing lavender. According to a study published on the US National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health, Lavender can cause central nervous system depression. Translation: It relaxes your nerves and makes you ready for bed.

More: 5 Expert Tips On How to Crush Your Health Goals During the Holidays

3. Roll on Some Essential Oils

Essential oils have been around since the dawn of time practically, but they’ve been enjoying a Renaissance of sorts for the past couple years — and for good reason. They totally work.

“A body of research shows that essential oils can provide relief for disrupted sleep and improve sleep quality in adults,” says The Sleep Doctor, Dr. Michael Breus. “A 2017 study compared the effects of aromatherapy and acupressure massage on sleep quality and overall quality of life in women. Researchers found that a blend of sleep-promoting essential oils worked more effectively to improve both sleep quality and quality of life than acupressure. The blended oil was also more effective at improving sleep than a single essential oil.”

So, in other words, blends rule. If your thoughts race when you’re trying to rest, start a new nighttime ritual with this 21 Drops Sleep Roll On. The essential oil blend includes organic sandalwood to help quiet the mind, organic palmarosa to reduce anxiousness, and organic ylang ylang to encourage peace. The ritual part comes in the application: Starting 30 minutes before bed, roll it in a circle five times to your temples, wrist, and neck and breathe. Repeat.

4. Wake Up With the “Sun”

When your phone is your alarm, your choice of tone always ends up being a little… jarring. The Philips Wake-Up Light offers a choice of five soothing nature sounds that won’t cause you to startle yourself awake.

But that’s not the most interesting part — the alarm simulates a sunrise, with light increasing gradually, which helps you wake up more naturally. The sound only chimes in when the “sun” is fully up. And remember how you’re supposed to avoid blue light at night because it squelches melatonin production? You want the opposite to happen in the morning, so exposing yourself to subtle blue light helps wake you, according to Very Well Health.

Our list writer Nicole Kwan has used the Wake-Up Light for about four years and she says it definitely makes waking up more pleasant and she’s more energized throughout the day.

5. Try a Weighted Blanket

We’ve seen them around as ways to help pets with anxiety, but turns out that weighted blankets might be just as soothing for humans.

There aren’t a lot of independent studies on weighted blankets, but researchers have found that deep pressure stimulation is calming for anxiety, and Raj Dasgupta, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Southern California and a spokesman for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, says the blankets may help people with anxiety, depression and chronic pain sleep better, according to WebMD.

“It’s like having the best hug for a long period of time,” he says, adding the blankets may be ”a good alternative to life-long sedative hypnotic medications (sleeping pills) at night.”

Sounds like it’s worth giving a go, right? Try the Gravity Blanket, which is engineered to be about 10 percent of your body weight.

Do you have any tips for getting better sleep? Let us know in the comments!

For a lot of us, the “I’m never doing this to myself again” moment happens every Thanksgiving when we stuff ourselves silly with broccoli casserole, turkey, mashed potatoes and three pieces of pumpkin pie — and wash it all down with wine, wine and more wine. Turkey Day is the notorious kick-off of an unhealthy season, and every year we vow that this year things will be different. This year, we will we stay on track and stay healthy during the holidays. We won’t overeat during the time period between the last Thursday in November and December 31st ever again.

OK, back to reality. Of course we will slide off the mountain at some point during the holidays (what is Thanksgiving for?), but that doesn’t mean we can’t keep on track as a rule.

So how does one stay on track when there’s temptation lurking around every corner? Preparation is definitely key, and we are studying the list PreHoliday Body ReBoot top to bottom. It’s basically a manual to keep us healthy and sane all through November and December.

Plus, it’s written by Nadja Pinnavaia, Ph.D., who happens to be the Founder & CEO of Euphebe — a company committed to health and bringing back real food — so we know it’s legit.

“The list was inspired by how to combine having fun, looking after yourself and feeling festive while still feeling good,” says Nadja. “It is based upon the premise that if we get our core nutrition right by having nutritious, predominantly plant-based meals, we’ll feel better and have more energy.”

More: The Secret to Comfortable Holiday Dressing

Here are more of Nadja’s tips for staying healthy during the holidays.

1. Start Your Day Off on the Right Foot

That’s right, the old adage rings true: You can’t be your best if you don’t eat a good breakfast. And if you eat something nutritionally satisfying and filling in the morning, you’ll be less tempted by those Christmas cookies your co-worker brings into the office.

“Starting off with a good breakfast is important, which is why I start off with a slice of Ezekiel bread topped with avocado, hemp seeds and some baby spinach,” Nadja told us.

Hemp seeds (like these from Nutiva) are loaded with protein ad omega-3s that are good for your brain, so meal is a gift that keeps giving throughout the day.

2. Make Time for Meditation

Our days can get a little hectic when it’s not the holiday season, so a lot of us start to feel a little overloaded and fried-out when the holidays hit. Taking a moment to get some zen in is key during this stressful time of year.

“Days are fun yet packed, so a bit of meditation in the evening helps the brain noise quiet down,” advises Nadja.

3. Work It

Indulging this time of year is inevitable. We’re not gonna deny it. That just means exercise is a even more important to keep us feeling good.

“I think exercise is a great way to feel better, especially after a night out,” says Nadja.

The only problem? Who wants to go to the gym after after chowing down on chocolate Santas or hitting the party circuit extra hard? Not us. The key is staying motivated with exercise that you actually enjoy. Nadja loves Physique 57, which is OnDemand so you can work out from the comfort of your own home.

4. Get Your ZZZs

Stress makes it hard to sleep, which makes things tough when you need all the energy you can muster to shop for gifts or hit holiday soirees. Make sure to keep track of how much rest you are getting so you don’t over-do it.

“I love my Withings Steel HR watch, that monitors everything including my sleep!” says Nadja.

More: A History of the “No White After Labor Day” Rule (& Why We’re Ignoring It)

5. Do Good 

‘Tis the season to give back, right? Nothing beats the holiday blahs better than doing good.

“I really care about what’s happening to our planet,” says Nadja. “I know that a plant-based diet massively limits the drain on our planetary resources, so when I saw Everlane was making jackets from recycled plastic, I thought that was super cool!”

Check out Nadja’s full list here and then tell us: What are your tips for staying healthy during the holidays?