How to Sleep Better

"51 sheep, 52 sheep, 53 sheep. Ugh, why am I still awake? Oh well, at least it's only 3 a.m." We've all been there. Getting quality sleep is easier said than done. So today, we're going to show you how sleep is tied to your physical and mental health. We're also going to show you five easy ways to get that refreshing sleep that you need. We all know that we feel groggy and slow when we don't get enough sleep, but that's not the only effect lack of sleep has on our bodies. In our episode on sleep and creativity, we told you that not getting enough sleep over an extended period of time can lead to high blood pressure, which can also lead to heart attacks and aneurysms. But it's not always easy to try to get that good quality sleep. Some nights, you stay awake worrying about that presentation that you have to give first thing in the morning. And then some nights, you just can't get comfortable. And then other nights, you fall asleep just fine, but then you wake up every 15 minutes worrying that you're going to miss the bus. Alright, there's no one way to guarantee that you're going to get awesome sleep, but we do have five easy tips and tricks to help you get on the path towards good sleep hygiene. Step one, develop a relaxing bedtime ritual. When you think about it, we all learn to sleep by routine. When we were really little, our parents gave us baths, read us books, tucked us in, got us that extra glass of water, all in the name of good sleep. Now that you're older, you're going to have to develop a routine of your own. Whether it's a cup of decaf tea and a chapter from a book, or a bath and 15 minutes of mellow yoga. Of course, there are some activities that should be kept out of a bedtime ritual. Don't drink alcohol before bed. It might help you fall asleep, but chances are you'll wake up in the middle of the night. Don't exercise two hours before bedtime. Sure, it gets your blood flowing, but it'll amp you up mentally. Step two, maintain a regular sleep and wake schedule. Now, you don't have to wake up at exactly 7:02 and go to bed at 10:53 every night. That's a bit on the neurotic side, but do try to wake up and go to bed at generally the same time, six days a week. According to doctors at Harvard University, this will help set your internal clock so that even on those rare days when your schedule is thrown off, you'll be able to get right back on track and avoid what doctors call a sleep hangover. Step three, stop watching your clock. Studies show that people who constantly look at their clock are less likely to fall asleep easily. Why? Well, laying there thinking, "It's 11:03, I have to be up in six hours and 57 minutes," stresses you out. So try to keep some distance between you and that alarm clock. That way, those blinking numbers will quit mocking you and you'll sleep easier. Step four, create an optimal sleep environment. A Mayo Clinic study found that people sleep best in dark, quiet, cool environments. With all the benefits of sleep, it's worth investing in blackout blinds, comfortable earplugs, and a fan or air conditioning. The more comfortable you are physically, the better you'll sleep. Step five, unplug. Make your bedroom a tech-free zone. I know, but research shows that electronics interfere with sleep because it's easy to get distracted by them. Checking your email right before bed could add more stress. Watching TV or movies makes it harder to sleep and getting sucked into, say, Pinterest right before bed could keep you up for hours. Let's recap. Today we learned a few more reasons why you need good sleep. We also taught you five simple ways to help you improve your sleep health. Next time you're stuck tossing and turning, try to develop a ritual, maintain a schedule, stop clock-watching, trick your bedroom out, or unplug. It could help. From all of us here at WellCast, sweet dreams. Tweet us at WatchWellCast, email us at WatchWellCast@gmail.com, or leave a comment down below. We'll see you next time.