The average person spends one third of their life sleeping. You deserve to be comfortable in the process!

If you’re not currently getting a good night’s rest, it might have to do with your bedroom itself. Sleep in your very own sanctuary with these creative tips.

• Eliminate unnecessary light: In order to get good sleep, it’s important to keep it dark in your bedroom. Consider installing blackout curtains or another kind of window treatment to keep sunlight and street light to a minimum. If you need some light to get to the bathroom in the dark, for example, try using a small light that detects motion.
• Remove or reduce blue light: Sunlight and street lights aren’t the only detrimental kind of light. Blue light from devices like your TV, smartphone, and laptop suppress melatonin, the hormone that helps you sleep. When possible, remove screens from your bedroom. Or, try ending your screen time 30 minutes before getting in bed and read a book instead.
• Cool (and freshen) your air: It’s easier to fall asleep in a cool, comfortable environment. Make sure your HVAC system is functioning properly and that you have a powerful (and quiet!) ceiling fan. While you’re at it, swap your air filter for a fresh one.
• Paint your bedroom a soothing color: Color isn’t just an aesthetic choice! The color of your bedroom walls (and bedding) can support or inhibit your ability to sleep. Consider painting your bedroom a soothing earth tone like blue, brown, gray, or green. Bright colors like red, orange, or yellow can be distracting and overstimulating.

• Pay attention to your bed: Try completing a kind of “bed audit” in your head: How old is my mattress? Is the firmness (or lack thereof) right for me? When was the last time I replaced my pillow? Investing in a plush mattress topper or soft cotton sheets (they breathe much better than polyester ones) could make all the difference.
• Declutter and clean: You’ve likely had a busy day – the last thing you need is for your bedroom to cause you unnecessary anxiety when it’s all done! Avoid this by removing unnecessary clutter and giving your bedroom a deep clean. You may decide to build or assemble extra shelving to keep things more organized.
• Turn on the noise machine and diffuser: Soothing sounds and smells could be just the thing you need to transform your sleep. Try playing soft music before bed or investing in a white noise sound machine. If you like essential oils, use lavender in your diffuser.
• Add a house plant: Bring the peaceful properties of nature indoors by choosing a plant like a snake plant, English ivy, or peace lily. Not only will it bring the beauty of the outside world into your bedroom, but it will also give the space a little boost of purification.

We would love to assist you with any of these better-sleep updates. Explore our home page to learn more about our family of brands and to schedule service with a local Neighborly professional.

The original article can be found here: https://www.neighborly.com/neighborly-advice/2019/october/how-to-sleep-better-by-updating-your-bedroom/

 

The post How to Sleep Better by Updating Your Bedroom first appeared on Healthy Gab.

The post How to Sleep Better by Updating Your Bedroom appeared first on Healthy Gab.

 

We’ve all been there: You’re sharing a room with a friend or significant other, it’s time to call it a night, and one of the two of you walks directly over to the thermostat before getting horizontal—which prompts a little bickering. I’m a keep-things-cold kind of sleeper myself, and I may be on to something: It turns out there’s plenty of scientific justification to preferring colder sleep. Our body temperature naturally decreases at night, which signals for our bodies to increase melatonin production—a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle.

“We need melatonin to feel sleepy,” explains Whitney Roban, Ph.D. and advisory board member for the American Sleep Association. “A cool room will help cool the body so that our body temperature drops quicker and our melatonin production increases.”

But how cool are we talking here? Roban says the sweet spot is between 60 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Not only will hovering in the mid-60s help you produce that ever-important melatonin, but it will also ensure that you experience all the essential sleep cycles, including the crucial deep, slow-wave sleep.

“Our bodies need to be cool to enter into this stage of sleep,” says Roban. “Sleeping in a cold room will help not only with the time it takes to fall asleep, but also with deep sleep so that we wake feeling rested.” Ever wake up in the middle of the night feeling super warm? She says that’s a good indication that you’re not keeping things cool enough to get into the deep-sleep zone.

Of course, room temperature is just one piece of the equation for better sleep. Just ask the team behind Equinox Hotels, who consulted with sleep psychologist Jennifer Martin, Ph.D., when they developed the conditions inside their New York City outpost. “Dark, quiet, and cool have the greatest effect on sleep,” says Matt Delaney, national manager of innovation at Equinox.

Delaney says the company put a ton of research and work into their guests’ sleep experience, from blackout blinds and soundproofing to making the beds up Scandinavian-style, using two separate duvets to support temperature regulation.

A big part of this is simply keeping the rooms cold. “Each guest room at the hotel is automatically set to 66 degrees upon check-in, and they revert back at the touch of a button with the ‘Dark Quiet Cool’ feature on the bedside tablet,” he says.

I need this tablet on my bedside table—but this does not seem feasible in my walk-up apartment. The question arises: How do we achieve this Goldilocks scenario without gobs of specialty technology? The good news is that it’s possible. Here, Roban offers up her four stay-cool strategies for better sleep:

1. Sleep on smarter stuff: From your mattress to your sheets, there are products that are specifically made to keep your temperature cool. The Buffy Breeze comforter was especially designed to ensure cold sleep. To take things to the next level, the BedJet will actually cool your mattress—and it has two zones, in case you and your partner can’t agree on what counts as “cool.”

2. Be smart about your sleep fit: Wear breathable fabrics, like cotton, to bed—or skip the clothes altogether to stay cool. Dare to bare, and you could even benefit from a self-esteem boost and more positive feelings toward your body image.

3. Pick the right accessories: Everything from the curtains you hang on the wall to the fan you have over your bed can make a major difference in room temperature. Bonus: By keeping your shades drawn during the daytime as well, you’ll help keep the room at a lower temperature, especially during the summer months.

4. Stay hydrated: You know how your face gets super tomato-like when you work out? That’s because your body is trying to cool you down by expanding blood vessels close to the skin’s surface—which promotes more blood flow and releases heat into the air. When you’re dehydrated, this process is slowed down. Drinking the right amount of fluids can help you keep your cool—and the side effect of clearer skin doesn’t hurt, either.

The original article can be found here: https://www.gq.com/story/cool-sleep-is-deep-sleep

 

The post To Sleep Better, Make Your Bedroom Colder first appeared on Healthy Gab.

The post To Sleep Better, Make Your Bedroom Colder appeared first on Healthy Gab.

 

While there are a plethora of useful tips on how to get a good night’s rest, science is beginning to uncover a more natural approach to getting some sleep. The answer lies in plants.

In addition to providing humidity, decontaminating the air, and boosting your mood and productivity, certain plants can also help you sleep better. Here are 10 miracle plants you can grow in your room to help you get more restful sleep.

1. Peace Lily

This is the ultimate plant to bring into the bedroom if your thumb happens to be more brown than green. According to a study undertaken by NASA, the Peace Lily not only neutralizes various gas concentrations, but it also pulls certain toxins and allergens from the air.

About as low maintenance as you can get in the plant world, the Peace Lily doesn’t require much light or even water to stay happy and healthy. Just know that they are toxic to both pets and people when ingested, so don’t keep it where curious paws and hands might reach it.

2. Chinese Evergreen

If you tend to experience itchy eyes, headaches, or dizziness very frequently in the mornings, you might want to invest in a Chinese Evergreen plant. These are known to trap and filter certain airborne toxins such as formaldehyde and xylene. Not to mention its broad, waxy, gorgeously variegated leaves are stunning to look at!

3. Sage

Good for more than just culinary uses, sage has actually been used by many cultures for thousands of years to purify the air of bad “spirits”. As it turns out, you don’t have to choke yourself out with the smoke in order to get a similar effect.

Research indicates that this “plant of immortality” helps you sleep better via your olfactory senses. It possesses certain compounds that, when inhaled, encourage your body and mind to relax, allowing you to slumber in peace and ward off insomnia.

4. English Ivy

According to the NASA study, English Ivy “is effective at cleansing benzene, formaldehyde, xylene and toluene from the air. Additionally, other studies have indicated that English Ivy also helps reduce mold in your home.” A multi-functional plant like that deserves a spot in every windowsill!

5. Weeping Fig Tree

More commonly known as the Ficus, the beautiful Weeping Fig tree found itself among the A-lister plants that promote sleep through better air quality. These plants are insanely easy to grow, which is why you can find them peppered throughout the floors of nearly every corporate building. It will trap airborne toxins before they ever have a chance to settle on your floor and furniture and will help you sleep soundly through the night.

6. French Lavender

Lavender has long been touted for its calming effect on the mind and body and makes a perfect addition to your room. Not only will it add a pop of color, but the strong, heavenly scent will have you slipping off into sleep before you realize it.

7. Flamingo Lily

And if you want some more color, consider adding in one of these beauties. The Flamingo Lily’s offer up more than just their stunning looks, though.

“A breathtaking flowering plant that requires minimal light, moist soil, moderate temperature (60-72 F) and a weak fertilizer monthly. FILTERS: Formaldehyde, xylene, toluene and ammonia,” says Doctor Scott Health.

8. Snake Plant

Also known as Mother In-Law’s Tongue, the snake plant is a NASA favorite for cleaning out the air. It filters some of the worst airborne toxins that concentrate in the home, including nitrogen oxide, benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and trichloroethylene. It also makes for a great starter plant if you’re new to growing as it can withstand shade for long amounts of time, though it prefers bright light.

9. Florist’s Chrysanthemum

These brilliant and vivid flowers are also commonly known as “mums” and they are invaluable in terms of indoor air quality. They are particularly efficient at pulling benzene from the air, a chemical commonly off-gassed into the air from paint, plastic, glue, and detergents.

10. Barberton Daisy

Finally, if you’re looking to add the perfect pop of floral color to your bedroom the Barberton Daisy is a top choice. It pulls all kinds of allergens from the air, helping you to slumber like a baby and wake up to a bright blast of color to start your day.

All of these plants are relatively inexpensive and easy to find. The best part is that they will help you reach your full potential by making sure you’re well-rested and ready for each new day.

The original article can be found here: https://ronproject.com/10-miracle-plants-help-sleep/

 

The post 10 plants you should keep in your bedroom that will help you sleep better first appeared on Healthy Gab.

The post 10 plants you should keep in your bedroom that will help you sleep better appeared first on Healthy Gab.

 

Turns out, cuddling with your partner can not only make you happy, but it can also help you sleep more soundly. In fact, according to a study, just your partner’s scent can lead to a good night’s sleep, regardless of whether they’re actually there with you or not.

We at Bright Side found this study quite interesting and would like to share it with our readers.

155 people participated in the study and their partners were involved too.

To find if a person’s scent has any effect on their partner, a study was conducted by the University of British Columbia. Partners of the participants were asked to wear a T-shirt for 24 hours without using deodorant, perfume, cigarettes, or anything that could affect their natural body odor. The T-shirts were then frozen to retain the smell.

Participants were then told they’d be given 2 identical T-shirts to use as pillow covers. One of the shirts would be carrying their partner’s scent and the other would have a stranger’s odor. They were not told which one was which.

Subjects were then asked to sleep on both the shirts.

Participants slept on the T-shirts worn by their partner and a stranger on consecutive nights. Upon waking up, they were asked to fill out a survey each day, describing how they slept. Their sleep was also monitored using a sleep watch which took notes of their movements during the night.

It was noted that people slept much better on pillows that had their partner’s scent on them.

At the end of the study, participants reported feeling more well-rested after sleeping with their partners’ T-shirts over the others. Frances Chen, the senior author of the study, revealed that even when people were not aware of which T-shirt they were sleeping with, the data showed that they experienced less tossing and turning on the pillow with their loved one’s scent.

The researchers added that sleeping next to a partner evokes feelings of security and relaxation. Just the scent of your partner can induce the same emotions and help people sleep better. In fact, sleep efficiency was found to increase by more than 2%, which is similar to using sleeping aids!

Do you agree with the study? Tag your partner below to let them know you’ve found another reason to steal their hoodies!

The original article can be found here: https://brightside.me/wonder-curiosities/your-partners-scent-can-help-you-sleep-better-a-study-found-797764/

 

The post The Scent of Your Loved One Helps You Sleep Better, According to a Study first appeared on Healthy Gab.

The post The Scent of Your Loved One Helps You Sleep Better, According to a Study appeared first on Healthy Gab.

 

If you – like many people – struggle to get the correct amount of sleep at night, you might think you’ve tried everything.

If you’re keeping yourself free of blue light in the evening, stopping drinking caffeinated drinks after lunch, perhaps even meditating and still failing to get off to the land of nod, how about giving ‘moon breathing’ a go.

Strange as it might sound, moon breathing – also known as Chandra Bhedana in Sanskrit – is a sleep method that one ‘lifestyle guru’ claims can ease ‘nonsense’ thoughts keeping you awake and chase away anxiety.

The technique is simple, there’s no balancing of chakras and standing on one leg, you just cover over your right nostril and focus on breathing exclusively through the left one.

Experts reckon this technique calms down your nervous system, and helps one settle down for a night’s kip.

It’s popular among practitioners of yoga, as well as in Asia – especially Japan – where it is considered a calming and relaxation technique.

Sarah Harvey – the aforementioned lifestyle guru – even includes the method in her book, entitled Kaizen: The Japanese Method for Transforming Habits, One Small Step at a Time.

In that book, she explains how she conquered her insomnia through this simple technique.

She says: “I find [it] helps me when it is 3am and my mind is racing with nonsense thoughts.”

So, here it is in full.

Lie somewhere comfortable, block your right nostril with a finger, breathe deeply through just the left nostril for a few minutes.

The final step, hopefully, is a nice peaceful sleep

It’s not the only method she espouses the virtues of, either.

Another nostril technique called alternative nostril breathing could be used in moments of anxiety and stress.

In short, you just breath deeply and calmly through alternating nostrils.

Ms Harvey explains: “This is called ‘Nadi Shodhana’ or alternate nostril breathing and is a really simple way to quickly quieten the mind and settle your emotions, so is a useful exercise to have up your sleeve during moments of anxiety or stress.

“It really helps to focus the mind and press the reset button on your nervous system.”

There is, believe it or not, a whole heap of scientific weight behind the theory about nostrils and nervous systems.

Obviously, it’s big in yoga and meditation, but a 1994 study by the Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology also discovered that alternate nostril breathing can alter the metabolic system.

They tested a group of men and found that breathing through left nostrils only for 27 breathing cycles four times per day left them more relaxed.

That’s because their sympathetic nervous system activity – which causes a response to stress – had reduced.

Hey, perhaps this isn’t something to turn your nose up at.

The original article can be found here: https://www.ladbible.com/news/weird-this-japanese-nose-breathing-technique-could-help-you-sleep-better-20191106

 

The post This Simple Japanese Nose Breathing Technique Could Help You Sleep Better first appeared on Healthy Gab.

The post This Simple Japanese Nose Breathing Technique Could Help You Sleep Better appeared first on Healthy Gab.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has made even sleep feel stressful. From vivid dreams and nightmares to increased levels of insomnia, many people are struggling with sleep right now.

This makes sense, because “we are wired to stay awake in the face of danger,” Jennifer Martin, clinical psychologist and member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, tells CNBC Make It. “In that way, it’s normal to have struggles with sleep throughout all kinds of difficult situations.”

The challenge right now is that the threat of a global pandemic is not so “tangible,” Martin says. Often when people go through a stressful situation, their sleep improves when the problem resolves. But it’s not clear when the COVID-19 pandemic will end, and life will go back to normal. 

“We’re at a time where people are at risk for developing habits that might make it difficult for their sleep to go back to normal,” Martin says.

Why your dreams are so vivid

The experiences that you have, the content that you consume and the visuals you interact with during the day absolutely can affect your dreams, Martin says. This is a concept called “dream incorporation,” and it happens when a stimulus you encounter in real life makes its way into your dreams.

“If you are spending two hours in front of on the news media, or you end up reading about COVID-19 before bed, it’s pretty likely that that’s going to come up in your dreams at night,” Martin says. On the flip side, if you’re engaged with something that’s more neutral or even pleasant, those themes are more likely to present in your dreams.

There’s another reason why your dreams are particularly memorable right now. Most of your dreaming takes place during the lightest stage of sleep, which is “rapid eye movement” or REM sleep, Martin says. “To remember your dreams, most of the time you need to wake up during the dream,” she says.

“The fact that people are remembering dreams or remembering their dreams more vividly is probably because their sleep is more disturbed in general,” she says.

How to sleep sounder and have fewer nightmares

The best treatment for recurring nightmares is to try to sleep more soundly, Martin says. If your sleep is solid, you tend to wake up less often during the night, so your bad dreams are much less bothersome.

Although your remote work schedule might allow you to press snooze when you’d otherwise be commuting, it’s important to stick to as normal of a sleep schedule as possible: Have a regular get up time in the morning and a consistent bedtime at night, Martin says.

Be mindful of how much time you’re spending in bed too. “One of the things that I’m hearing is that people are kind of bored” and are hanging out longer in bed, she says.

While you might be going to bed at your usual time, “instead of getting up at six to get ready for work, people are kind of lounging in bed until eight,” she says. The extra time spent under your covers will just make it harder to fall and stay asleep.

If you’re sitting at home, it can also feel tempting to keep refilling your coffee mug. But Martin suggests stopping your caffeine intake at least 10 hours before your planned bedtime. “That gives your body a chance to metabolize most of the caffeine,” she says.

Another thing about beverages: while virtual happy hours are a great way to stay connected with friends and family, alcohol can mess with your sleep, Martin says. “Alcohol makes us feel kind of relaxed and drowsy at first, but the metabolism of alcohol is very sleep-disruptive,” she says. “Cutting way back or even eliminating alcohol is something that can help with solid sleep.”

Finally, have a wind-down routine that doesn’t involve scrolling social media or watching the news. “The content that we’re engaged with tends to be pretty activating,” Martin says. “It’s probably not helpful to be checking the news, reading about how bad the situation is, and then putting your head on the pillow and trying to fall asleep.”

About half an hour before you want to go to bed, do something relaxing that you wouldn’t mind dreaming about: read a book, talk to your family or look at photos of past vacations, for example. “You actually can influence your dream content in a positive way too,” she says.

The original article can be found here: 

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/03/why-youre-having-pandemic-related-nightmares-and-how-to-sleep-better.html

 

The post Why you’re having such vivid dreams and nightmares during the pandemic, and how to sleep better first appeared on Healthy Gab.

The post Why you’re having such vivid dreams and nightmares during the pandemic, and how to sleep better appeared first on Healthy Gab.

 

Despite claims that owning a gun makes a person feel safer and sleep easier, gun owners don’t actually sleep any better than non-gun owners, according to a new study by University of Arizona researcher Terrence Hill. (Source: KAIT-TV)

TUCSON, Ariz. — Despite claims that owning a gun makes a person feel safer and sleep easier, gun owners don’t actually sleep any better than non-gun owners, according to a new study by University of Arizona researcher Terrence Hill.

Gun owners also aren’t any happier than those who don’t own guns, Hill found in a second study.

That’s surprising, he says, given that gun owners often say that their guns make them feel safe, secure and protected, and those feelings are generally associated with happiness.

The findings help researchers better understand the relationship between gun ownership and personal well-being, an area where research is currently lacking, said Hill, an associate professor of sociology in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

“We want to understand gun owners’ subjective experiences,” Hill said. “We’re trying to understand when guns promote individual well-being, if at all, and that will add to the discussion of the role of guns in our society.”

Hill is quick to acknowledge that certain individuals may indeed experience greater happiness or better sleep as the result of owning a gun. However, that doesn’t seem to hold true for the general population of gun owners.

“It’s possible that an individual can be comforted by their weapon and that their weapon can make them happier and less afraid, but we’re finding that that’s not so common that it can be observable at a population level,” Hill said. “We’re not saying there’s anything wrong with guns. We’re just saying that they may not be benefiting people’s personal lives in the way some people claim.”

Happiness Findings Span Nearly Three Decades

The happiness study, published in the journal SSM – Population Health, is based on an analysis of 27 years of data from the National Opinion Research Center’s General Social Survey, collected between 1973 and 2018.

While the data initially seemed to point to a positive relationship between gun ownership and happiness, that relationship disappeared when researchers factored respondents’ marital status into their analysis. It turned out gun owners were more likely to be married, and being married – not gun ownership – was driving happiness.

When the researchers considered marital status and other variables such as race, religion and education in their analysis, gun owners and non-gun owners exhibited similar levels of happiness.

“Gun owners will often tell you that guns help them to feel safe, secure and protected. They will also tell you that guns empower them and make them feel independent and strong. They also talk about how just holding and handling guns is pleasurable,” Hill said. “If guns do make people feel safe, secure and protected, if they are empowering, if they are contributing to feelings of pleasure, then they should promote happiness, but we don’t find any evidence of that. That calls into question whether or not these are real feelings that gun owners have, or are they just part of the culture of owning a gun?”

There was one sub-group of gun owners that did show greater happiness. Hill found that gun ownership was associated with greater happiness among people who identified as Democrats, but not among people who identified as Republican or Independent, although that trend has been declining over time.

One possible explanation for the difference could be that Democrats and Republicans may own guns for different reasons, Hill said.

“Some people use guns to enhance a recreational lifestyle – for activities like target shooting – and this might promote happiness because it enhances a lifestyle,” Hill said. “Gun owners who identify as more liberal or democratic may be more likely to use guns for that reason as opposed to emphasizing self-defense. There is previous research that shows Democrats are less likely than Republicans to own a gun for protection.”

Commercial Products Promise Gun Owners Better Sleep

The sleep study, published in the journal Preventive Medicine, was based on four years of data collected for the General Social Survey between 2010 and 2018. The data showed no difference between gun owners and non-gun owners in terms of their level of sleep disturbance.

The researchers also looked at how participants felt about the safety of their neighborhoods. When they compared sleep disturbance in gun owners and non-gun owners who lived in dangerous neighborhoods, they again saw no difference.

“We found that gun ownership was no consolation for living in a dangerous neighborhood in terms of the sleep disturbance outcome,” Hill said.

Hill said the idea that guns can help people sleep better at night is often presented by interest groups, popular culture and even commercial products, such as bedside gun holsters or special pillows with gun compartments that allow people to sleep with or near their weapon. As a medical sociologist, Hill said it’s his job to question those types of claims through research.

“Whenever people start to promote a certain type of lifestyle – like a type of exercise or a diet – public health is there to test it,” he said. “We think if anybody makes a claim about how guns are good for people’s health and wellbeing, those claims should be formally tested with empirical data. We need to test those claims like we would test any dietary or exercise recommendation.”

Hill says he hopes his continued research on guns and personal well-being will encourage greater public conversation about the role of guns in society.

“Public health research has shown that guns are associated with thousands of preventable injuries and premature deaths, and the health care costs of those injuries and deaths can reach into the billions. Nobody questions that anymore,” Hill said. “But there’s not much research out there on the personal well-being side of owning guns. We want people to start talking more about the role of guns in people’s personal lives, and, ultimately, this is a broader question for society about the value of guns in our lives. The question really is: Do guns make our personal lives better?”

The original article can be found here: 

https://www.kold.com/2020/02/04/study-gun-owners-arent-happier-dont-sleep-better-night/

 

The post Study: Gun owners aren’t happier, don’t sleep better at night first appeared on Healthy Gab.

The post Study: Gun owners aren’t happier, don’t sleep better at night appeared first on Healthy Gab.

 

The days are getting longer and longer, daily routines extend and it becomes inevitable to not fall into the hands of anxiety. We tend to be more accelerated in general and, therefore, getting a pleasant and restful sleep becomes complicated. In the case of adults, it is recommended that they sleep 7 to 9 hours in a row, for the body and mind to recover. However, if you have trouble falling asleep, you should know that, fortunately, there are natural remedies that can help the snooze come faster.

Bright Side wants to help you get a night of deep and refreshing sleep by sharing with you a list of drinks that could help you achieve it.

1. Warm milk

Warm milk is one of the best options to induce a deep and cozy sleep. It contains tryptophan, which increases serotonin in the brain, a substance that gives us feelings of happiness and well-being. The hormone melatonin is produced more under these conditions, and this is essential, since it’s capable of arousing sleep, even in those suffering from chronic insomnia.

2. Peppermint tea

Peppermint tea relieves stomach aches, due to its anti-inflammatory properties. By deflating the muscles, peppermint also decreases their intensity, allowing the body to relax properly. If you are preparing for an exam or an important presentation that keeps you tossing and turning at night, this tea is a great option to consider.

3. Cherry juice

Cherry juice, like milk, contains tryptophan. Therefore, it can produce the hormone melatonin, improving your quality of sleep. This juice has been tested in several studies to treat insomnia, and has been proven to be one of the most effective options to combat it, ensuring more hours of rest at night.

4. Coconut milk

Coconut milk contains magnesium and potassium, 2 minerals that are capable of relaxing the muscles and ensuring good sleep. In addition, it reduces blood pressure and swelling in the kidneys. Thanks to its large amount of natural electrolytes, it helps the body to balance and relax.

5. Banana smoothie with almond milk

Bananas also contain tryptophan, in addition to 2 key minerals for muscle relaxation: potassium and magnesium. The fruit has a calming effect that works integrally and reduces physical stress. Also, its amount of fiber and carbohydrates fills the stomach and leads to a feeling of satiety, which increases the desire to sleep.

6. Green tea

Loaded with antioxidants, green tea is an option to consider for any time of the day. However, when it comes to sleep, decaffeinated green tea is the best option. It contains theanine, which promotes relaxation and the release of physical stress, helping you to have a long and restful night’s sleep.

7. Almond milk

Almonds are loaded with everything the body needs to get a deep sleep. Rich in magnesium, almond milk has proven to be very effective when it comes to promoting sleep, due to the effectiveness of this mineral. Like cow’s milk, almond milk has tryptophan, and, thanks to this, the body can produce melatonin. This hormone is essential to regulate sleep schedules, and that is why many people with chronic insomnia tend to take melatonin supplements to sleep properly.

8. Chamomile tea

Chamomile tea has a relaxing effect on the body. It’s usually recommended for stomach pains, since it can aid digestion and ease internal tensions. However, chamomile has proven to be very effective in reducing the symptoms of stress, such as insomnia and anxiety.

9. Valerian root tea

Valerian root tea is highly recommended to induce a natural and deep sleep, given its amount of antioxidants and valerenic acid. In addition, it reduces bloating and physical and mental stress. A study conducted on menopausal women showed that it can greatly help prevent sleep disruptions.

10. Ashwagandha tea

Ashwagandha is an ancient herb that is used medicinally for a wide variety of physical problems. It has become known for its ability to reduce cortisol and, therefore, feelings of stress and anxiety. It has proven to be very effective to distend and relax the mind, contributing to a more peaceful night’s sleep.

Have you tried any of these drinks for a better sleep? Which one is your favorite? Tell us in the comment section.

The original article can be found here: https://brightside.me/inspiration-health/10-drinks-to-help-you-sleep-better-796173/

 

The post 10 Drinks to Help You Sleep Better first appeared on Healthy Gab.

The post 10 Drinks to Help You Sleep Better appeared first on Healthy Gab.

 

People who are the most optimistic tend to be better sleepers, a study of young and middle-aged adults found.

More than 3,500 people ages 32 to 51 were included in the study sample. The participants included people in Birmingham, Alabama; Oakland, California; Chicago; and Minneapolis.

“Results from this study revealed significant associations between optimism and various characteristics of self-reported sleep after adjusting for a wide array of variables, including socio-demographic characteristics, health conditions and depressive symptoms,” said lead researcher Rosalba Hernandez, a professor of social work at the University of Illinois.

Participants’ levels of optimism were measured using a 10-item survey, which asked them to rate on a five-point scale how much they agreed with positive statements such as “I’m always optimistic about my future” and with negatively worded sentences such as “I hardly expect things to go my way.”

Scores on the survey ranged from six (least optimistic) to 30 (most optimistic).

Participants reported on their sleep twice, five years apart, rating their overall sleep quality and duration during the prior month. The survey also assessed their symptoms of insomnia, difficulty falling asleep and the number of hours of actual sleep they obtained each night.

A subset of the participants was part of an ancillary sleep study based in Chicago and wore activity monitors for three consecutive days—including two weeknights and one weekend night. Participants wore the monitors on two occasions a year apart.

The monitors collected data on their sleep duration, percent of time asleep and restlessness while sleeping.

Hernandez and her co-authors found that with each standard deviation increase—the typical distance across data points—in participants’ optimism score they had 78% higher odds of reporting very good sleep quality.

Likewise, individuals with greater levels of optimism were more likely to report that they got adequate sleep, slumbering six to nine hours nightly. And they were 74% more likely to have no symptoms of insomnia and reported less daytime sleepiness.

According to a 2016 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 3 U.S. adults fails to get adequate sleep, escalating their risks of many chronic diseases.

“The lack of healthy sleep is a public health concern, as poor sleep quality is associated with multiple health problems, including higher risks of obesity, hypertension and all-cause mortality,” Hernandez said. “Dispositional optimism—the belief that positive things will occur in the future—has emerged as a psychological asset of particular salience for disease-free survival and superior health.”

Although a significant and positive association was found between optimism and better-quality sleep, Hernandez suggested that the findings should be interpreted cautiously.

While the scientists aren’t sure of the exact mechanism through which optimism influences sleep patterns, they hypothesize that positivity may buffer the effects of stress by promoting adaptive coping, which enables optimists to rest peacefully.

“Optimists are more likely to engage in active problem-focused coping and to interpret stressful events in more positive ways, reducing worry and ruminative thoughts when they’re falling asleep and throughout their sleep cycle,” Hernandez said.

The findings, published recently in the journal Behavioral Medicine, bolster those of a prior study, in which Hernandez and her co-authors found that optimists ages 45 to 84 were twice as likely to have ideal heart health.

The original article can be found here: 

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/optimistic-people-sleep-better-and-longer/

 

The post Optimistic People Shown to Sleep Better and Longer first appeared on Healthy Gab.

The post Optimistic People Shown to Sleep Better and Longer appeared first on Healthy Gab.