The A - Zzz's Sleep Guide To Wellness

The A-Tz's SLEEP GUIDE To Wellness Isn't it funny how as kids, taking a nap was one of the worst things in the world? Why would we sleep when we could be playing outside or watching TV? As adults, sleep is the one thing we desire... but with hectic lives it gets pushed to the backburner. This is worrying, because a good night's sleep is one of the most significant things to live a healthy life, yet it is low on many people's priority list. EFFECTS OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION A large portion of the population is clearly impacted by a lack of sleep. This lack of sleep can do more than hinder your day to day functioning; it can also impact your health. MEMORY LOSS WEIGHT FLUCTUATION HEART DISEASE WEAK IMMUNE SYSTEM HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE TIPS FOR A GOOD NIGHTS REST KEEP A SLEEPING SCHEDULE EXERCISE REGULARLY It's best to wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day. It takes 7 days to adjust to a new sleep pattern, but just 1 day to return to a typical sleeping pattern. People who exercise regularly are more likely to sleep better, and tend to get tired at an appropriate time. Even adding a 10-minute walk every day improves one's likelihood of a good night's rest. Bedtime TAKE A HOT SHOWER AVOID EATING BEFORE SLEEP A hot shower or warm bath before bed relaxes the body and makes it easier to fall asleep. When your body temperature falls your body feels more lethargic due to natural decrease in metabolic activity. Because the body is digesting food, your heart rate increases from working to metabolize it. It also increases the frequency of waking up in the middle of the night. Ice Ore AVOID ALCOHOL BEFORE SLEEP AVOID CAFFEINE BEFORE SLEEP Although alcohol helps you relax, it can diminish your quality of sleep by increasing the frequency of waking up during the night and lessening the time spent in REM sleep, your most restorative phase. Caffeine makes us feel more alert by blocking sleep-inducing |chemicals in the brain and Cola increasing adrenaline production. Consuming any before bed will leave you tossing and turning for hours. AVOID LONG DAYTIME NAPS READ A BOOK IN BED Taking longer than a 20 minute power nap will make it harder to fall asleep at night. This not be scientific, but Curl up with a book may reading a book always makes you tired. Always. KEEP IT QUIET KEEP IT “JUST RIGHT" Sleeping in a loud environment increases the likelihood of waking up at night. The quieter it is, the The ideal bedroom temperature for sleeping is between 65 and 72 degrees. Too hot or too cold will make it harder to sleep well. 65° less distractions there are to the body's rest. HOW MUCH SLEEP DO WE REALLY NEED? 18 years & older 12-18 years old 5-12 years old 7.5-9 HOURS 8.5-10 HOURS 10-11 HOURS 3- 5 years old 1-3 years old Up to 1 year old 11-13 HOURS 12-14 HOURS 14-15 HOURS Sources: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/04/sleep-exercise-sleep-in-america_n_2784457.html http://student.biology.arizona.edu/honors2004/group03/Fun_Facts.htm http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-tips-for-get-a-good-nights-sleep-without-pills.html http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/cant-sleep-adjust-the-temperature http://www.cdc.gov/features/dssleep/ http://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/sleep/basics/5-effects-of-sleep-deprivation.htm http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/caffeine-and-sleep LIVE LOVE SPA WWW.LIVELOVESPA.COM