Healthy Diet for April 3 – Bound to Put You to Sleep

Want to accomplish more in your day? Handle everyday stress better? Improve your memory? Perhaps you need more sleep.

Lifestyle choices, stress, and sleep disorders have turned America into a culture of sleeplessness. Although most American adults sleep less than seven hours daily, research shows that eight hours offer more benefits. In addition, preliminary medical research suggests a lack of sleep may be linked to heart disease, hypertension, lowered immunity, obesity, and neurological disorders.

Sleep tight starting now—it’s National Sleep Awareness Week.

To get the benefits from a full night’s sleep:

• Make your surroundings sleep friendly: darkened quiet room, comfortable surface and pillow, cool temperature.
• Move more during the day, but not too close to bedtime. Exercise “pumps up” your metabolism for several hours.
• Time any stimulants. If you’re caffeine sensitive, avoid caffeinated drinks for six to eight hours before bedtime. Skip smoking, too.
• Skip a late-night drink. Alcoholic drinks before bedtime interfere with and may interrupt deep, restful sleep.
• Get into a sleep routine. Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.