Daylight Savings How to Get Enough Sleep

Daylight Savings How to Get Enough Sleep Daylight Savings How to Get Enough SleepSpring forward and still catch those Zs.When Daylight Savings rolls around, it means spring is in the air and warmer months are ahead. It also means some slight changes in peoples sleep patterns. These subtle changes have been studied and the results may surprise you. Per Live Science, it turns out that there is an increase in heart attacks, work-related injuries, cluster headaches, and cyberloafing in the days following Daylight Savings. To avoid being a statistic during this time of year, you want to ensure youre taking care of yourself, which means knowing how to get enough sleep throughout the night. These tips can also help improve sleep habits throughout the yearHow do you know youre not getting enough sleep?For some of us, the minute we wake up, its clear that going back to bed for just a few more minutes would help us get through our day a little easier. Then there are those of us who dont realiz e were not getting enough sleep until the symptoms tischset in. If you feel moody or your performance is negatively impacted, it might mean youre not getting enough sleep and could benefit from learning how to improve sleep habits. Statistics fromHarvard Medical School show that insomnia can cause psychiatric disorders that lead to changes in mood and negatively impact work performance. Also, if you find that your judgment is impaired, you look a bit rough, and youre generally not feeling well, then lack of sleep might be the culprit.Heres how to get enough sleep if these symptoms start to pop up.Use apps that monitor your sleep patternsWith todays technology, you can track your sleep patterns without a visit to the doctors office. There are several apps and devices you can download or purchase to help you know how well youre sleeping. Fitbit One is a gadget that helps you monitor your exercise and sleep patterns. Sleep as Android, Sleep Cycle, and Sleep Bot are all apps you can dow nload to help you monitor your sleep as well.Create productive bedtime routines and ritualsDaylight Savings or not, a routine can help you relax and get mentally prepared to snooze. Find a bedtime routine that helps you relax and de-stress. Doing so will allow you to rest better once your head hits the pillow. This might mean a warm bath with some lavender bath salts, lighting a candle and meditating, or reading a book, for example. Its also helpful if your bedtime routines and rituals are consistent from night to night. Avoid the TV, phone, and computer right before bedThe brain needs some time to rest and prepare for sleep. Per Psych Centra, artificial lighting from the TV, computer, and phones has been proven to disrupt sleep patterns. The bright screens of your phone or computer will make your brain think its still time to work, so anliegening asleep will be more difficult. The saatkorn goes for watching TV, especially a high-intensity show that your body and mind are reacting t o as you watch. To improve sleep habits, try going without any of these devices at least an hour before bedtime. Many health professionals suggest you avoid having them in the bedroom at all.Use a nightlightIf you wake up in the middle of the night and turn the light on, it tricks your brain into thinking its time to get up, which means your melatonin levels begin to decrease, making it more difficult to fall back to sleep. Use a soft night light to guide you at night instead of having to turn on a bright light when you go to the bathroom.Related 9 Habits That Will Make You Happier in the OfficeDont eat after 8 p.m.For some, eating late at night can disrupt sleep patterns. It can make it difficult to fall asleep and cause you to dream more. To improve sleep habits, dont eat late and especially avoid caffeinated products that can keep you awake.Avoid alcohol and nicotine before bedThough many think that alcohol helps them sleep, it actually has a rebound effect, per WebMD. It might h elp you fall asleep, but youll likely wake up in the middle of the night and find it difficult to fall back to sleep. Nicotine is a stimulant, so to improve sleep habits its best to avoid that before bedtime as well.Use a sound machine appIf youre the type of person who wakes at the sound of every little noise or has trouble falling to sleep because its either too noisy or too quiet, consider downloading a sound machine app. Apps like Relax Melodies have sounds including sleep sounds, rain sounds, relaxation sounds, and white-noise baby sleep sounds.Go to sleep earlySeveral angeschlossen sites, including Dr. OZs blog, report on studies that show your body heals the most between the hours of 1000 p.m. and 200 a.m.. This time frame allows for the most regenerative sleep, and any sleep after this time period is more superficial. Get to bed early for the most restful and regenerative nights sleep and wake up feeling refreshed in the morning.Avoid high-intensity exerciseAs explained on W ebMD, avoid intense exercise three hours prior to bedtime. Intense exercise can ramp up your system and keep you awake.Get up at the same time each morningA routine is critical to getting enough sleep. It helps to create consistent sleep habits to improve sleep patterns, from going to bed at the same time each night to getting up at the same time each morning, including weekends. Dont let your pets sleep with youI have a cute little doggie, and I cant help but let her climb into bed with me every once in awhile. At the same time, if you have a dog that moves around a lot or likes to cuddle on you, and you tend to get overheated, then keep them out of your bed so you can get a better nights sleep.These are just a few of the tips on how to support and improve sleep habits. Getting seven to eight hours of restful and regenerative sleep at night, for most, helps keep productivity, mood, health, and overall well-being in good standing which can help keep your career in good standing.Are you sleeping on updating your resume? Let us help with a free resume critiqueRecommended Reading5 Tips to Maintaining Productivity When We Spring Forward9 Things to Do on Your Day off to Really Recharge12 Job Tips to Manage Workplace StressRelated Articles