We all know from experience how important sleep is! Getting a good night’s rest can help improve your mood and your health. The Better Sleep Council has eight guidelines to help you get a better night’s sleep:
- Keep regular sleep hours
- Cut down on stimulants such as coffee, soft drinks, and medications that may contain caffeine
- Sleep on a good bed
- Don’t smoke
- Drink alcohol in moderation or not at all
- Set aside a planning or “worry” time earlier in the day
- Don’t go to bed stuffed or starved
- Exercise regularly
According to the Better Sleep Council, “Exercise enhances sleep by burning off the tensions that accumulate during the day, allowing the body and mind to unwind. While the fit seem to sleep better and deeper…you don’t have to push to utter exhaustion. A 20- to 30- minute walk, jog, swim or bicycle ride at least three days a week…should be your goal. But don’t wait too late in the day to exercise. In the evening, you should be concentrating on winding down rather than working up a sweat…The ideal exercise time is late afternoon or early evening, when your workout can help you shift gears from daytime pressures to evening pleasures.”
