Fall Sleep Habits

Are you feeling a little run down? Maybe even to the point you're worried about getting sick? It may surprise you that the key to feeling better could be improving your sleep habits.

Researchers recommend sleeping at least seven hours each night, but as many as 35% of American adults don't regularly get that kind of rest. And as the seasons change, so does our sleep.

The decrease in daylight during autumn months can disrupt our circadian rhythm, which regulates our sleep-wake cycle. This disruption can lead to difficulties falling or staying asleep. In fact, the National Sleep Foundation reports that over 60% of Americans experience disrupted sleep due to seasonal changes and shifts in daylight hours.

In addition to the decrease in daylight, shifts in temperature can also affect our sleep. As the weather gets colder, our bodies may struggle to find the right temperature for optimal sleep—which the National Sleep Foundation says is between 60 and 68 degrees.

But other than adjusting temperature and light, how can we get better sleep?

Change your diet. Cosuming foods high in carbohydrates or sugar close to bedtime can negatively effect sleep quality. Caffeine and spicy foods also can interfere with our ability to fall asleep or cause indigestion. However, warm milk, herbal teas, tart cherries, kiwis and bananas contain sleep-promoting nutrients that help relax the body and promote more restful sleep.

Stay active. Exercise helps tire your body out and reduces stress and anxiety, but also has been linked to improved sleep quality. People who regularly engage in moderate to vigorous exercise not only have better sleep quality, but it also takes them less time to fall asleep.

Stick to a schedule. Keeping consistent bedtimes and wake-up times, even on weekends, can ensure you get the recommended amount of sleep each night. In addition, incorporating rituals into your bedtime routine, like reading a book, signals to your body that it's time to wind down for the night.

Use a sleep-tracking device. Devices like smartwatches can provide valuable insights into your sleep patterns, oxygen levels and other good and bad trends. Companies that manufacture these devices gather anonymous data that reveals information about adults' sleep habits, such as:

• Both men and women generally get less than seven hours of sleep.
• Men get slightly more deep sleep than women until age 55. Then, roles reverse.
• The average person has a bedtime of 11:36 P.M., and they wake up at 7:17 A.M.
• Women sleep 25 minutes longer than men on average.

We hope you can fall asleep and stay asleep with these four tips!

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