Throughout 2022, we’ve learned many amazing tips from different sources such as navy SEALs, yoga instructors, and sleep experts! We’ve also been able to discover how alcohol affects your sleep, how many hours of sleep you should really be getting each night, how the seasons affect your mood, and so much more! In case you’ve missed any of our helpful tips over the past year, we’ve decided to compile our favorites all in one place.
Tips From Navy SEALs to Fall Asleep
Special operators within the US military have to ensure they avoid sleep deprivation to complete their important missions. In a recent interview with Business Insider, Adam La Reau, who spent 12 years in the Navy SEALs, rising to the rank of lieutenant commander, walked through the steps SEALs use for more restful nights.
- Have a pre-sleep game plan, either planning a meditation, reading a chapter of your favorite book, or drinking a relaxing decaf tea before bed.
- Put together a list or reminder of what you need to do the next day. This will help you feel more prepared for what tomorrow will bring before your head hits the pillow.
- Exercise is important, but in the morning, midday, or, at the latest, a few hours before bedtime. By staying active during the day your body regulates itself better allowing for a more consistent sleep cycle.
- Sleep when you can! If you’re feeling groggy, especially mid day, it’s better to find time for a quick power nap rather than relying on coffee or energy drinks to keep you awake as they can disrupt your sleep cycle later.
- Put away that phone. While you might think using electronics before bed could help you relax, they really act as a stimulant to the brain, making it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep for longer.
- Sleep can be a team sport! Be honest with your friends and family. If you’ve had a long day of traveling and need to rest, or could really use someone to babysit just for a few hours, there’s nothing wrong with reaching out for help!
Tips From a Yoga Instructor to Relax
Yoga is all about relaxing your body and mind, and here our top 5 tips from yoga instructors themselves:
- Focus on your breathing
Breathing techniques are the best way to calm your mind. Focus on taking deep inhales and exhales, and you will instantly feel the relief!
- Practice simple morning stretches
Morning stretches can help you loosen tight muscles, and even release endorphins to give you a sense of relaxation right before you begin your day.
- Practice gratitude
Research shows that practicing gratitude enhances our wellbeing by helping our brains focus more on the positive aspects of life, rather than the negative.
- Write down your thoughts
Whether you prefer a journal, notes app, or traditional pen and paper, write down your thoughts! It’s an easy yet effective way to get rid of any anxieties and express yourself.
- Rest!
Tips From a Sleep Expert for Better Sleep
Did you know that you should be getting between 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night? It’s important to establish and maintain a sleep routine, so you can ensure that you are getting your rest each night. We’ve put together five of our favorite tips from a sleep expert to help make sure you get your recommended hours of sleep.
- Try exercising three to four hours before bedtime. This ensures that your muscles and circulatory system have time to calm down and prepare for sleep. Your sleep can be disrupted if you work out too close to bedtime.
- Go to bed at a regular time each night. When you get a consistent sleep schedule down, your body will naturally adjust and begin to feel tired at the same time each day. This will help to cut down the amount of time you spend waiting to fall asleep at night.
- Avoid naps during the day. Frequent napping can worsen insomnia and or sleep problems at night. If you must nap, keep them short! Try to keep it under 20 minutes to avoid sleeplessness at bedtime.
- Avoid caffeine after 12 pm. Caffeine is a stimulant that can impact your sleep even after 6 hours from drinking it. It’s best to avoid caffeine in the daytime so as to not reduce your sleeping at night.
- Wake up at a regular time each morning. Waking up at a regular time each morning also helps you build a sleep schedule. Your habits matter, and establishing this sleep schedule ensures that you wake up more energetic and alert.
Over the past year, we’ve also written about many facts concerning sleep and relaxation. Some of our favorites are included below:
- The changing seasons can actually impact your mood. Around 10 to 20 percent of the population suffer from some sort of mild seasonal affective disorder.
- Chamomile is one of the best teas for sleep, because of its ability to decrease feelings of anxiety and promote relaxation, creating the peaceful transition for falling asleep.
- Sleep can help our body fight off infections. Our body can increase the duration of N3, or the deepest part of our sleep, that gives it more time to devote to fighting off infections.
- If you’re between the ages of 18 and 64, you should be getting seven to eight hours of sleep every night.
- The top sounds to help you fall asleep at night are pink noise, white noise, and brown noise.
- Cooling your room between 60-68°F is just the right temperature to ensure a good night’s sleep.
Relaxium Sleep
If you’re looking for a sleep supplement to aid in your nightly routine, try Relaxium Sleep! It uses a triple action formula designed to help regulate the natural sleep cycle, relax the body, and calm the mind. Relaxium Sleep can ensure that you will fall asleep quicker, stay asleep longer, and wake up feeling refreshed each morning!
To restful and healthy days ahead,
The Relaxium Team
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease
Sources:
[1] 7 winning strategies Navy SEALs use to overcome sleep deprivation | Business Insider India
[2] Sleep Answers from Sleep Expert Dr Susheel Patil (hopkinsmedicine.org)
[3] 6 Things You Should Encourage Your Yogis to Do Outside of Class (momoyoga.com)