It’s Sleep Awareness Month: Here’s How You Can Improve Your Nightly Rest
The National Sleep Foundation has named March as Sleep Awareness Month, a campaign dedicated to recognizing the benefits of sleep.
At MaloufTM, we know the impact of restorative rest. It allows us to be our best selves and commit to our purpose each day. Sleep is also crucial to our overall health and well-being.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends adults get seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Anything less than seven hours, we’re at risk of becoming sleep deprived.
Sleep deprivation can have negative effects on our mental and physical health. When we consistently don’t get enough sleep, we can have trouble focusing and experience burnout.
Not only that, but we become more susceptible to serious health conditions like depression, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and obesity.
But, when we do sleep well, there are positive results. Getting adequate rest can boost our mental health, improve our eating habits, and even build our immune system.
This month, for Sleep Awareness Month, take a minute to evaluate your sleep habits and identify areas where you could improve.
To get started, check out these tips from the National Sleep Foundation on how to build a healthier sleep routine.
Quick Tips for Better Sleep
1. Establish a sleep schedule. It’s never too late to take a step back and adjust your sleep schedule. Rejuvenating sleep should always be a top priority.
When creating a schedule, start by setting your wakeup time. From there, work backwards seven to nine hours to determine when you should be in bed.
Once you’ve figured out a schedule, stick to it as much as possible, even on the weekends. Consistency is key to building better sleep habits.
It can also be helpful to incorporate relaxing activities into your bedtime routine. Activities like reading a book or listening to music can help you unwind a little easier.
2. Enhance your sleep environment. You want to create a relaxing and sleep-inducing bedroom.
- Your bedroom’s temperature can make a big difference in how well you sleep. You don’t want it too hot or too cold. The best sleep temperature is between 60 and 67 degrees.
- Your bed is also essential to your sleep environment. You want a mattress, pillows, and sheets that support your needs.
- At MaloufTM, we invest in the best materials and offer a variety of products so you can experience your best sleep yet. Check out our products at maloufhome.com
3. Exercise often. Regular exercise can help manage body pain and stiffness and promote deep sleep, which ultimately helps other areas of your life.
With busy schedules though, it can seem difficult or almost impossible to find time to exercise, but a little exercise is better than none.
- Look at your schedule and try to squeeze in a 20-minute workout. Simple activities like walking, yoga, and swimming are all great options.
- In addition to exercise, you also might consider adjusting your caffeine intake, eating habits, and other areas that can impact the quality of your sleep.
In the end, you know your body best and which of these practices will benefit you the most. As you make sleep a higher priority, you will find yourself feeling more refreshed and living a healthier life as a result.