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Wellness

Expert tips for a better night's sleep

Tired of tossing and turning? Insomnia can lead to a host of health problems, so we went to the experts for help.
Expert tips for a better night's sleep

sleep story Nov 2014

For a better night's sleep

Let’s face it, we could all use some more beauty sleep. Shortchanging yourself on shut-eye increases your risk of disease, weight gain and mood disorders and can wreak havoc on your libido. If that’s not enough to make you want to turn in, studies show that regularly sleeping too little (six hours or less) is associated with a shorter lifespan. Here’s how to get the seven to eight hours you need to look and feel your best. 

pillow blue white sleepPhoto, Shutterstock.

Get connected

Lonely people don’t sleep well, according to a study in the journal Sleep. They wake more often during the night and experience a poorer quality of rest, says Lianne Kurina, the study’s lead researcher at the University of Chicago. “This could be because people who feel less secure in their social environment may have more difficulty falling into a deeper sleep.” Facebook and Snapchat can help you stay in contact with friends and colleagues, Kurina says, but an old-fashioned phone call (or face-to-face) might be the most effective way to strengthen your social network in general, helping you feel more connected — and better rested.Did you know? Hypnic jerk is the sensation of falling when you're half asleep and jerking awake

Old school fashioned cord PhonePhoto, iStockphoto.

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Get a night light

“Being afraid of the dark isn’t just a childhood fear,” says Taryn Moss Atlin, a researcher in the Sleep and Depression Lab at Ryerson University in Toronto. “It’s common in adults too, and it can disturb their sleep without them knowing it.” If you feel anxious when you switch off the light, try leaving the hall light on or plugging in a night light.

Expert tips for a better night's sleep

Flip on a fan

“If you live in a city or on a busy street, something that creates white noise will ensure your sleep isn’t interrupted by what’s happening outside your bedroom window,” says Erin Evans, a sleep researcher at Harvard Medical School. But not just any noise will do. Falling asleep to music or a nature-sound app, such as chirping birds, doesn’t work as well as the steady hum of falling rain or lapping waves. Better yet, the hum of a humidifier or fan generates just the right tones to keep you snoozing all night long.Did you know? The record for the longest time spent without sleep is 11 days (don't try this at home!)

electric fan

Make a list

Do you lie awake at night with to-do lists swirling around in your head? Lee suggests building “worry time” into your evening routine. At least an hour before bed, take 15 to 30 minutes to address work emails and make notes for the following morning. “Getting things down on paper can help you let go of the mental checklist so you don’t ruminate on it once you get into bed,” he says.

Expert tips for a better night's sleep

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Sweat it out

“Traditional wisdom has been to avoid exercise before bed because it was thought the rush of adrenalin interfered with sleep,” says Dr. Elliot Lee, a psychiatrist at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. But as long as you’re doing a workout that your body is used to and that doesn’t create too much physical distress, it can actually help you fall asleep, he says. As your body prepares for sleep, its temperature drops. Because it’s running extra hot after a workout, the cool-down is even more dramatic, making you feel sleepier.

Did you know? 16-20 degrees is the best temperature for quality sleep

Exercise-model-in-white-Nike-outfit-holding-weightsPhoto, Roberto Caruso.

Pack up your iPad

Updating your FB status or watching Game of Thrones before lights out is not conducive to a good night’s rest. Not only does it rev you up, but research shows the glow of the screen interferes with circadian rhythms, says Lee. “The light confuses your body into thinking it’s earlier in the day.” If you must take your tablet to bed, choose low-key entertainment, like an episode of Downton Abbey, or read an ebook with the screen light dimmed. If you’re sensitive to light (common in people with large or light- coloured eyes), try adding a peel-and-stick cover to your tablet or a free dimmer app to reduce screen brightness. 

iPad Air 16GB in white

Give Fido the boot

A recent study from the Mayo Clinic showed 63 percent of people who snooze with a cat or dog are losing sleep. If pets are scratching or moving around in the wee hours, they can rouse you from deep sleep, says Evans. “If your pet sleeps on the bed, they’re even more likely to be disturbing you,” she says. To coax pets out of your bedroom, try moving them from your bed to a basket on the floor nearby, then to the other side of the room and finally out into the hall where you won’t hear them during the night.Did you know? 12 per cent of people dream only in black and white

Woman-with-dog-Hunter-boots-fashion-tipsPhoto, Roberto Caruso.

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