Sleep is considered the third pillar of health, but poor bedtime habits can wreak havoc on your ability to get your z’s. Sleep is commonly referred to as the third pillar of health, yet research repeatedly shows that as many as one-third of Americans aren’t getting enough of it. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, adults should be logging seven or more hours of shut-eye per night, but whether they’re lying awake at night thinking about politics, skyrocketing inflation or the next round of layoffs, those seven-plus hours remain elusive for many. Consistent trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, however, might be something to discuss with your doctor. While you wait for your appointment, you could try some sleep hygiene interventions to get your sleep back on track. Sleep hygiene is a set of general guidelines that all people should follow for healthy sleep.” More specifically, sleep hygiene refers to the healthy habits, behaviors and environmental factors that promote healthy, restful and restorative sleep. When done right, sleep hygiene can not only help us fall asleep faster, but when we stick to these practices night after night, it can boost our sleep quality and duration Beyond sleep masks or blackout curtains to help manage light and white noise machines to manage ambient noise, Martin notes that sleep surfaces and pillows are often overlooked but play an important role in your sleep experience. The typical lifespan of a mattress is seven to 10 years, and Martin says if your mattress is within that window, there’s no need to go out and bust your budget to replace it. Instead, she encourages more manageable changes to your sleep surface, like swapping out old pillows and sheets for ones that are more in line with your sleep preferences (i.e., firm pillows for side sleepers and cooling sheets for hot sleepers). Our internal clock or circadian rhythm is driven by the rising and setting of the sun. Martin says spending time outdoors every day has a myriad of health benefits, including supporting quality sleep. She adds that morning light has the strongest influence on keeping our circadian rhythms steady, so where and when possible, she suggests going for a 10-minute walk in the morning.
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