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The 3 E's to a Better Night's Sleep

By C S Lewis

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 08Oct2009
Word count: 710
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Wake up, grab some breakfast, swig some coffee or a diet coke and hit the road. After completing a long day of work and the much needed chores at home, it can be difficult to get to bed at a reasonable hour and actually manage to squeeze in a deep, relaxing, good night's rest before beginning the next hectic day. Getting adequate amounts of sleep is becoming increasingly harder for adults today. According to recent studies, the average American adult sleeps less than seven hours a night, which is an hour and a half less than the recommended amount required for complete daytime coherence. Over 50% of Americans walk around technically sleep deprived, which can lead to drowsy drivers, daytime sleepiness, impaired memory, increased appetite, and decreased physical performance—not to mention grouchiness. There are many factors that lead to adults not getting enough sleep, including eating unhealthy foods late at night, exercising too close to bedtime and watching entertainment on television. These factors all contribute to bad sleeping habits that can impair one's health. Luckily, when done correctly, the three E's of eating, exercising and entertaining can actually add to a more comfortable and deeper night's sleep.

Everyone has heard that it is unhealthy to go to bed on an empty stomach, however what many fail to realize is that in eating the wrong types of food late at night, one actually worsens their sleep-ability. Foods that are spicy, acidic, and rich and fatty typically do not help people to fall asleep faster because they require more work for digestion. To better your sleep, eat a light snack before going to bed. Foods that contain the essential amino acid tryptophan can actually help calm the brain, especially when paired with carbohydrates. One example of a healthy late night snack is a glass of low-fat milk with a half turkey or peanut butter sandwich. Eating fruit or whole grains are also great options. Try to avoid high-protein foods late at night, as these foods stimulate brain activity, so you will have a harder time relaxing before falling asleep.

Healthy exercising habits have been known to help people fall asleep better, but typically working out does not lead to as good of a night's rest if done less than two hours before bedtime. The reasoning behind this logic is that working out is stimulating and increases body temperature, which may interfere with sleep. However, everyone is different and for some people, working out can actually help clear the mind. In fact, according to assistant professor Shawn Youngstedt of exercise science at USC, working out right before falling asleep can positively impact the sleep of some. "Time and time again, research has shown that people can exercise very vigorously before bedtime without it impairing sleep," he said. Basically, if you work out every night before you fall asleep and you realize you awaken feeling exhausted, try working out earlier in the day and see if you feel better rested the next morning without the late night exercise.

Many adults have televisions in their room and watch a TV show or a news segment before falling asleep. This is not healthy because watching fast-moving images stirs the mind and makes it more difficult to fall asleep immediately after turning the TV off. Watching the news has even worse effects on sleep because of the negative announcements, which can increase one's stress levels and lead to a longer lag time before falling asleep. On the other hand, some types of entertainment are great before bed. Reading a light, entertaining book or magazine, listening to soft music or books on tape, or doing a jigsaw puzzle can all help ease the mind, and assist in focusing thoughts on sleep.

Remember that an optimum amount of sleep for the average adult is approximately eight and a half hours. Without this much sleep, people are more likely to lose focus during the day, daydream, get bored, and the other negative effects mentioned earlier. The best way to get the most out of your night's rest is to make a conscious effort to get in at least eight hours and focus on the 3 E's of healthy eating, exercising and light entertainment.

Courtney Lewis is the manager of Sweetly You where you can find unique bath and body products and build custom beauty gift sets.

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