More Tips for Getting Your Beauty Sleep

Insomnia leaves too many of us feeling exhausted, wandering around with awful bags under our eyes. But it doesn’t have to. By making small changes to our daily habits, most of us can let our bodies know that it is OK to ease into a more restful state after a hard day’s work.

Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels

These five tips for getting your beauty sleep will teach you simple ways to give your body the message that sleep is what it needs in order to get through the next day.

Avoid Computer Use for 30 Minutes

What’s a great way to trick your body’s biological clock into thinking it’s the middle of the day? Try staring into a brightly lit screen right before bedtime. The light that emanates from computers, televisions and tablets interferes with your body’s circadian rhythms. The intellectual and physiological stimulation from activities like playing video games or watching suspenseful shows can also keep you up late, for obvious reasons.

Cut Down on Caffeine

Caffeine affects the body more profoundly than most coffee-drinkers believe. It also stays in your system longer than you consciously feel its effects. In fact, caffeine typically affects men for five to nine hours. In women who are pregnant or who use oral contraceptives, the effects can be extended to 12 or even 15 hours. If you have trouble sleeping, it is a good rule not to consume any coffee during the last third or so of the day. If your sleep still does not improve, try completely eliminating caffeine from your diet.

Exercise Regularly

People who lead sedentary lives often find themselves feeling restless at the end of the day. People who physically exert themselves have this problem much less often, unless they’re doing something else that directly interferes with sleep (like drinking too much caffeine). If you put in a good a workout during the day, you’re likely to feel far more tired at night. After a couple of weeks of exercise, you will also notice that you feel more rested in the morning — making it easier to wake up with that cup of coffee!