Sleep Week: Tips to get better quality rest | 7 On Your Side
NEW YORK (WABC) -- It seems like a universal complaint, trouble sleeping, tossing turning, either you can't fall asleep or don't stay asleep.
The CDC says one-third of adults in this country report not getting enough rest.
It's officially Sleep Week!
It's a nationwide effort emphasizing the importance of sleep, and your physical and mental wellbeing.
7 On Your Side's Nina Pineda told the Eyewitness News Mornings @ 10 team that she's surprised they aren't crankier!
Perky morning show people get up when most people go to bed and have an upside-down lifestyle. It's not natural to be up when its dark and sleeping when it's light, their circadian rhythm is off.
Dr. Lauren Broch is clinical psychologist, nutritionist, and sleep disorder specialist with Northwell Health's Sleep Center.
A lot of us are creating irregular sleep-wake cycles because of our addiction to our phones, it's like sleeps nemesis.
"Phones in particular are quite alerting, the light that's emitting is white light that contains blue wavelength. Melatonin is natural, it signals sleep, we make it, it's a hormone we release when its gets dark. As we get closer to sleep it increases, so if you're using your phone the light will actually inhibit it," Broch said.
So ultimately, we should be off our phones by about 9 p.m. If you are on it, because face it, that's time to scroll through reels, go to setting, display, and brightness and then hit nightshift, night mode, or blue light filter and adjust the screen. If it's not doing it automatically.
Your device can actually help you, too. There are apps with music, waves, and white noise.
"That's the positive side of tech apps for mindfulness meditation and relaxation. I will always include relaxation visual imagery meditation, imagining yourself somewhere relaxing use it before sleep so you're not getting anxious about it," Broch said.
What about the falling asleep and then bolting up at 3 a.m.? I call this mom's review of the world. Did I Venmo, get that form, make a reservation, it's this reel of everything that didn't get done. Then, before you know it its 5 a.m. Is there something we can do to avoid this?
"OK, I have something called a worry list. Scheduling time to worry, things on your mind, residue that comes up in the middle of the night, schedule it early, 8-9 O'clock, what's on your mind and what the steps you can take?" Broch said.
You can get in a cycle of not sleeping then being in a worse mood, you are crabbier so you can't sleep.
"Sleep helps us be in a better mood, but being in a better mood helps us sleep, so it's really nice without a lot on your mind and when you do, which is unavoidable, creep up when you are in bed," Broch said.
In addition, two to three hours before bedtime you should:
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and sugar
- Don't eat a heavy meal
- Limit water drinking
Dr. Broch said we should be sleeping like cavemen with no access to the fridge or water at night.
And try to sleep when it's dark. If you have to wake up during off-hours, try creating a darker environment.
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