It seems that, no matter what age we are, we never seem to get enough sleep. As kids, we try to stay up as late as possible, always resisting those early bedtimes. As adults, we'd love nothing better than to hit the sack as soon as possible, but other tasks — putting children to bed, paying the bills and, of course, late night TV — always tend to creep up and take precedence.
But shirking those seven or eight hours of sleep each night and settling for less is an unhealthy habit that, aside from having detrimental effects on brain health and memory support, will just flat out leave you feeling exhausted and crummy the next morning.
If you're having trouble falling asleep, here are some guidelines worth following that can lend themselves to a more sleep-conducive environment at home:
- Be consistent: Just like with children, adults should adhere to as consistent of a pre-bed ritual as possible. Stick to the same times for going to bed and waking up. Keep your thermostat in the comfortable range of 68 and 70 degrees. Approximately four hours before bedtime should be your cut-off point for caffeine, exercise or heavy meals.
- Cancel out external noises: Light sleepers are constantly having to deal with even the slightest noises both inside and outside their home keeping them awake. If you have a partner who snores or neighbors that are simply too loud, consider investing in a white noise machine that can drown out these other sounds and create a more soothing atmosphere in the bedroom. Otherwise, try inserting ear plugs or running a fan by your bed.
Click here for information on our array of sleep support supplements.