Ever notice that your skin looks a little bit brighter after you’ve had a good nights rest? Well, there’s a reason they call it beauty sleep. After all, getting about 7-8 hours (or more) of shut-eye each night will help your body repair itself (making your skin creams more effective too!).
But that’s if you can actually get to sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, about 70 million Americans suffer from some sort of sleep problem (like insomnia or snoring), while another 47 million of us don’t even get the minimum amount of sleep required to function properly during the day. That’s a whole lot of lattes purchased at Starbucks every morning.
Luckily, if you happen to be one those who just can’t get to sleep, there are some ways to help alleviate the problem. Check out these three tips and let us know your suggestions too.
Turn on the bath water: There’s nothing more relaxing than a nice warm bath before you hit the sack. Just make sure to keep the temperature a little cooler than your body temperature (around 97 to 98 degrees). That way you don’t overheat. Just add a sleep-inducing essential oil to your bathwater and you’ll be sleeping like a baby. One to try is Kneipp Herbal Bath in Valerian & Hops ($19) which contains herbs known for their calming qualities.
Keep a regular sleep schedule: Your body is inclined to keep an internal time clock, so try not to vary your sleep times too often. It’s best to go to bed at the same time every night and to wake up at the same time each morning-even on the weekends. If you do need to adjust your sleep pattern, try to do it in 15 minutes increments over time.
Cut your caffeine runs: This is a hard one for all of us-you may love your numerous cups of coffee each day, but it turns out that caffeine can take as long as 8 hours to wear off. So if you’re indulging in an afternoon java, there’s a chance it’s keeping you up after your work is done.
