We’ve always known a good night’s sleep makes us feel great. But now thanks to countless studies we are just starting to understand exactly how bad for us poor sleep can be.
Chronic sleep-deprivation and poor sleeping patterns can contribute to anything from depression to diabetes, obesity and heart disease.
Unfortunately, this knowledge wasn’t available for the baby boomer generation. Sleep for them was often seen as something to skip out on. And burning the candle at both ends was often seen as the norm rather than the exception.
As they move into their 50s and 60s and start looking toward their retirement, many have developed such poor sleep habits that it may be hard for them to take full advantage of the freedom that post-work life will offer.
For any sleepless baby boomers reading this, below are 3 super quick tips for better sleep.
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Keep a regular bedtime routine
We are creatures of habit and our bodies love, I mean love, routine. Heading to bed at a similar time each night and respecting our circadian rhythms helps our bodies work out when to get into a sleepy state of mind.
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Go on a light diet
Too much artificial light in the evening plays havoc with our bodies production of melatonin, the hormone that controls our body clock and tells us when to sleep.
Anything that mimics daylight, such as overly bright bedroom lights or the nasty blue light emitted by our laptops and smartphones is a problem. The solution, simple – replace bright lights with lamps or dimmer switches and ban screens in the hour before bed.
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Make it darker
When the bedroom light is flicked off, the room should be pitch black. As simple as that. If light pollution leaks in from around the side of the curtains, it’s time to get new curtains.
If that sounds a little bit too expensive right now, go for the low-cost alternative and wear an eye-mask. They may not be the most fashionable but they are effective. And sleeping in a properly dark room will have an immediate impact on both the quantity and quality of sleep an individual gets.
There you go, three simple and easily implemented sleep-hacks that will help you drop off quickly and stay asleep longer.
For more hints and tips check out the expert help at the Sleep Advisor blog.
Sweet dreams!
