When we lie down in bed, the goal is to promote sleep. Are you helping yourself sleep well? Here are my 5 tips:
- Make your bedroom an all-around serene, safe space
Take the minimalist route! A few candles, a sound machine, no TV, a cozy bed, extra pillows. Whatever you crave!
- Stop using any device that emits light an hour before bedtime
“Someone super sensitive to light might need 3 to 4 hours” without light-emitting devices, Parisa Vidafar, PhD, said.
- Read a few chapters in a book
- Embrace the dark at night
“That’s what we evolved to do. A dark environment calms the system” and you need to be calm to fall asleep, Vidafar said.
- Close your eyes and lean into gratitude
Think of your happy place, what you’re thankful for, and embrace positive thoughts of a good, restful night’s sleep.
Here’s to quality shut-eye, a deep sleep in a comfy bed, and to awake to a fresh, bright new day.
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Parisa Vidafar, PhD, works in the Department of Psychiatry and Sleep and Circadian Research Laboratory at University of Michigan.
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