5 Tips for a Restful Night & Productive Day

Waking up in the morning rested and refreshed is vital, but we don't always feel that way when it's time to get up and start a new day. The choices we make during the day have a significant impact on how we sleep at night. The healthy habits I want to share with you will greatly impact the quality of your sleep and your performance during the day. Try these habits for one week, adjust them according to your life and your responsibilities, and remember that what you do during the day will affect how you sleep at night, and the quality of your sleep will affect how productive you can be during the day.  

1.     Regulate your light exposure. Soak up some sunlight first thing in the morning and during the day and dim your lights in the evening. Blue light from electronics and bright overhead lights interferes with our bodies' release of a sleep-promoting hormone called melatonin. No problem if you use these lights during the day but in the evening, turn them off at least two hours before going to sleep.

2.     Schedule your physical activities accordingly. Be physically active during the day but slowdown in the evening. Do your workout earlier in the day and catch up with cooking, laundry, and less-strenuous activities in the evening. Turn on soothing music or a relaxing audiobook and let your nervous system wind down if you need to catch up with housework at the end of your day. 

3.     Eat your dinner early in the evening. Have your meal and your glass of wine in the evening but no later than three hours before sleep. Heavy meals and alcohol intake elevate the metabolism and disturb the quality of sleep. Occasionally, if you need a snack before going to bed, opt for a small amount of protein: nuts, seeds, a slice of turkey, or a glass of warm golden milk (cow's milk or alternative with turmeric, ginger, and honey).

4.     Consider taking your shower in the evening. Warm water relaxes muscles, and it is soothing to the nervous system. Take your time in the shower to breathe, sing or hum to stimulate the Vagus nerve and send the message from your brain to your body to de-stress and calm down.

5.     Tomorrow is another day! Don't let your worries, heated conversation, and upsetting news ruin your night. Most of these things can wait until the next day. In the evening, use a planner or journal to write down things you need to accomplish the next day and worries that you might want to revisit at another time. Politely, tell people you will talk to them after you have a good night's sleep. Turn off the television and other electronic devices and read a book instead. 

Your sleep is in your hands, so catch a good night's rest tonight and every night with healthy habits that you can start right now!