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We\u2019re pretty sure everyone agrees the past few years weren’t banner years. As we wrap up 2023 \u2013 and get ready to kick it to the curb \u2013 we\u2019ve got our sights set on the promise of a new year, another chance to start again. While hope might get us through the dark winter months ahead, we need an action plan. Some things we can control, others we can\u2019t \u2013 but our good (or bad) health falls squarely on our shoulders.<\/p>\n
Ready to make a healthy, happy lifestyle your new priority? To help get you started on your journey toward wellness, we asked some leading experts<\/a> for their suggestions on resolutions that can make 2024 a banner year for great sleep.<\/p>\n 1. Redesign your bedroom to create an optimal sleep environment<\/strong>. A clean, uncluttered bedroom can help you relax into sleep faster. If\u00a0your bedroom<\/a>\u00a0is on the smallish side and you\u2019d like to free up more floor space (and control clutter), consider moving a chest of drawers into your closet (if it\u2019s big enough), buy containers that slide under the bed and instead of nightstands, install floating shelves next to your bed. Hang your TV rather than a stand on the floor. And eliminate any non-essential pieces of furniture. For the bed itself, choose a bed with just a headboard and no footboard to create a greater sense of spaciousness.<\/p>\n 2. Banish the noise and keep the peace<\/strong>. Even though you\u2019re sleeping, your brain continues to register and\u00a0process sound<\/a>. Noise can disturb your\u00a0sleep, waking you or bumping you from deep\u00a0to light\u00a0sleep. According to experts, nocturnal noise can also cause adverse\u00a0physical reactions<\/a>\u00a0during\u00a0sleep,\u00a0such as raising your blood pressure and increasing levels of stress hormones. If you live on a busy city street, consider investing in a white noise machine. The constant ambient sound helps to mask disturbing noises. Earplugs and an eye mask can also help you fall into a deeper\u00a0sleep.<\/p>\n 3. Embrace the dark<\/strong>. Exposure to light when you\u2019re trying to fall asleep can reset the\u00a0body\u2019s clock<\/a>\u00a0and delay\u00a0sleep. Make sure your bedroom is as dark as possible when you go to bed. If streetlight shines through your curtains, blackout shades or blinds will keep your room dark at night and in the morning. Use dim nightlights<\/a> in the hallway and bathroom so you don\u2019t have to switch on ceiling lights if nature calls during the night. Lastly, if you must sleep with your phone beside your bed, use the night settings to dim the display.<\/p>\n 4. Maintain your cool<\/strong>. Your body temperature<\/a> naturally\u00a0decreases<\/a>\u00a0during\u00a0sleep. If your bedroom is too hot, it can affect the quantity and quality of your\u00a0sleep.\u00a0Research<\/a>\u00a0suggests that a cool room between 60-65 degrees F (16 -19 C) helps keep your body at the right\u00a0sleeping\u00a0temperature. Be sure the covers you\u00a0sleep\u00a0under are the right thickness to keep you comfortable and not too warm. On hot summer nights, cool the room with a ceiling fan or a fan placed in front of an open window.<\/p>\n 5. Take a critical look at your current mattress<\/strong>. You can adopt all the best bedtime and sleep habits in the world but if your mattress is no longer supporting you, healthy sleep will continue to be a challenge. If you\u2019re not getting the sleep you need, it\u2019s time to consider shopping for a new mattress<\/a>. Not sure you\u2019re ready to go mattress shopping? If you answer yes to any of these questions, it\u2019s time: <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 6. Unplug<\/strong>. One of our worst nighttime habits is bringing our phones to bed \u2013 and scrolling through them before we plan to sleep. The blue light from that tiny screen negatively impacts our ability to naturally produce melatonin, a hormone needed for sleep. A resolution to embrace? Turn off your devices an hour before sleep.<\/p>\n 7. Exercise during the day<\/strong>. Exercise can improve both the quality and quantity of\u00a0sleep. It helps to reset the\u00a0body\u2019s clock<\/a>, increasing daytime alertness and sleepiness at night. It also promotes\u00a0sleep\u00a0by naturally reducing stress and anxiety. Research<\/a>\u00a0has shown that exercise increases both total\u00a0sleep\u00a0time and the amount of deep, slow wave sleep. Win win, right?<\/p>\n 8. Set a caffeine and alcohol curfew<\/strong>. Caffeine and alcohol can adversely affect your\u00a0sleep, even if consumed 6 hours before bedtime. If you want to\u00a0sleep\u00a0soundly through the night, don\u2019t drink caffeine after\u00a05 p.m.\u00a0and limit yourself to one small alcoholic beverage after dinner.<\/p>\n 9. R-E-L-A-X<\/strong>. Can\u2019t sleep? Stress and\u00a0anxiety<\/a>\u00a0are common causes of insomnia \u2013 and we\u2019ve had more than our fair share of both in 2020. Anxious thoughts and worries can trigger the release of stress-hormones such as\u00a0cortisol and adrenaline<\/a>. These hormones prepare the mind and body for \u2018fight or flight\u2019 by increasing arousal and alertness. Relaxing music can decrease anxiety, heart and respiratory rate and blood pressure. A\u00a0meta-analysis<\/a>\u00a0of five clinical trials with a total of 170 participants found that music had a significant effect on the\u00a0sleep quality of patients with\u00a0sleep\u00a0complaints.<\/p>\n 10. Become a superstar napper<\/strong>. Naps can help<\/a> you become more energetic, productive and creative. They can also decrease work-related stress and help prevent burnout. The most beneficial type of nap is one in which you fall asleep quickly,\u00a0sleep well for a brief time and wake up feeling alert and reinvigorated. Timing is key. Most people are naturally a bit drowsy in the afternoon between 1-3 p.m.\u00a0 But don\u2019t sleep for too long. There\u2019s research to support 10-minute naps \u2013 some studies have indicated they are better than 30-minute naps.<\/p>\n 11. Invest in a good humidifier<\/strong>. Doctors recommend keeping the air a little moist during the cold winter months to support your breathing during sleep. Remember to clean it every couple of days so you don\u2019t create the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive.<\/p>\n 13. Boost your intake of magnesium<\/strong>. Magnesium facilitates sleep regulating melatonin (sleep hormone) production, relieves muscle tension that can disrupt sleep and prevent restful sleep and activates GABA, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter of the cen\u00adtral nervous system, and its activation favors sleep.\u00a0\u201cMost Americans (about 75%) do not get their RDA of this mineral,\u201d says Carolyn Dean, MD, ND, medical advisory board member, Nutritional Magnesium Association<\/a> and author of The Magnesium Miracle. \u201cThis is the sleep mineral and anti-stress mineral that all of us need.\u201d Prepare a water bottle with a teaspoon or two of magnesium citrate powder<\/a> and sip this throughout the day and have it available at your bedside. Take a big swig when you wake up in the middle of the night. In this form, it\u2019s fast acting and highly absorbable. It will help you get restful, rejuvenating sleep.<\/p>\n 14. Splurge on quality sleepwear<\/strong>. High-quality fabrics next to your skin<\/a> just make you feel good, so choose jammies accordingly. Being strategic about what your sleep attire is made of can help to regulate your body temperature during the night, which, in turn, can promote better slumber. Consider sleepwear made from bamboo. It\u2019s silky on the skin and is a natural moisture-wicker, which helps regulate body temperature. Whatever you buy, make sure it fits well. Looser pajamas move more easily over your body when you sleep. Skip designs with buttons, snaps, and tags, which can be irritating. Of course, you can always opt to sleep nude<\/a>\u2026<\/p>\n 15. Ease your stress<\/strong>. \u201cMy favorite habit for a New Year\u2019s resolution is what I call the 10-minute worry, aka 10MW,\u00bb says Michael Duncan, editor of Be Right Light. \u201cGive yourself 10 minutes to worry before bed and write them down. All the to-dos, problems and ideas go down on paper to help empty your mind so you can relax.\u201d\u00a0 He says that doing the 10MW regularly will help you fall asleep faster and boost your productivity in the morning because you already have your list of to-dos on hand.<\/p>\n 16. Buy a bright light alarm clock<\/strong>. Alarm clocks that are designed to grow increasingly brighter as it\u2019s time to wake up will help restart your natural wake-up response. Throughout the dark winter months, waking up can be a challenge \u2013 especially if we\u2019re summer sunrise wakers. If you’re suffering from SAD (seasonal affective disorder) a suitably powerful therapy light can help get your brain back on track.<\/p>\n 17. Eat breakfast. <\/strong>When you skip breakfast, your body conserves resources and stores calories in an effort to keep you alive. You know you\u2019re going to eat again at lunch but your body has been slowly starving since you went to bed last night \u2013 and your continued denial of food puts all systems in full protection mode. \u201cSkipping meals, especially breakfast, can make you feel tired and hungry and more likely to reach for high-fat, high-calorie snacks. In fact, people who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight than those who don\u2019t,\u201d says the\u00a0British Heart Foundation<\/a>.<\/p>\n 18. Change your sleep position<\/strong>. Is your preferred sleep position<\/a> the best one for your health? Kansas City-based wellness practitioner and founder of Your Wellness Connection Dr. Michelle Robin recommends protecting your neck and back sleeping on your side or back. Sleeping on your back is the best sleep position for the health and alignment of your spine. If you\u2019re a devoted back sleeper, put a pillow under your knees. Lying completely flat can put stress on your lower back and cause you to wake up in pain.<\/p>\n 19. Upgrade your pillows<\/strong>. To keep your neck and head supported throughout the night, even as your muscles relax and you are no longer holding your head up, you need a supportive pillow<\/a> that your neck can rest on, according to Dr. Robin.<\/p>\n 20. Get tested for sleep apnea<\/strong>. Chronic snoring could be sign of sleep apnea, a serious condition with critical side effects. It puts you at very high risk of developing chronic diseases and complications, from heart failure and stroke, to diabetes, insomnia and even death. \u201cWhen a person suffers from sleep apnea and is not being treated or being compliant with their treatment, their body is being deprived of the oxygen it needs to function normally,\u201d says Al Greene, vice president of marketing with Bleep (a company that manufactures and sells an alternative to traditional CPAP machines). Talk to your physician about getting tested.<\/p>\n Better sleep gives rise to better mornings, bringing your goals into focus and dreams within reach. Hungry for more sleep info? Dig into these posts:<\/p>\n![\"Scott](\"https:\/\/restonic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/7-sl-mattress-stack-1.jpg\")
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12. Establish bedtime habits that include a regular bedtime<\/strong>. \u201cMy best advice for sleep health is to \u2018baby yourself,\u2019\u201d says Dr. Tara Nayak, a naturopathic physician practicing in Philadelphia, PA. \u201cFor those of us that have raised children, we know that a sleep ritual is important to establish a consistent sleep pattern as a baby grows up and starts to sleep through the night. I encourage my adult patients to do the same thing.\u201d She suggests creating a bedtime routine focused on the senses that should be repeated every night at the same time. \u201cIt’s important for our bodies to have routine because it helps to regulate our internal clocks that are important for signaling hormone and neurotransmitter release,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\nRest well & wake up ready to go!<\/h2>\n
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