This is part of a series on sleep based on a Face & Body Southeast Spa Expo and Conference presentation given by Trish Greene of Balnea Spa Products.
Read the previous posts in this series:
Sleep Better Series – What’s the Big Deal?
Sleep Better Series – The Basics
Limit Light at Night, Get Outside During the Day
People exposed to light at night have shallower sleep and are more likely to experience mini-arousals during the night in a 2013 study in the journal Sleep Medicine. “Melatonin levels are suppressed by even low levels of light, and that in turn is associated with disturbed sleep,” says Phyllis Zee, MD, director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Northwestern University.
- If you read on a tablet, switch from a white background with black font to a black background with white font, which emits less light. Also, dim your device to half brightness or less, and hold it 14 inches away from your eyes.
- Turn your alarm clock so that you can’t see it from bed. We all know how annoyed we get when we keep glancing at the clock and still haven’t fallen asleep!
- I would think most of us are guilty of messing around on our phones when we can’t sleep which actually cause us not to fall asleep so get those phones out of the room.
Exposure to sunlight during the day can help you sleep better at night.
- Exposure to natural light during the day can improve your sleep. Researchers at Northwestern recently found that people whose workplaces had windows got 173% more light exposure during the day and slept an average of 47 more minutes per night than their windowless coworkers. Natural daylight may enhance melatonin production come nightfall—one key to a solid night’s slumber.
I need to order an alarm clock for real and get my phone out of my room! Start reading a paper book around 10pm to help me start to fall asleep. For sure I need to get a little more time outdoors every day. Once my day starts at the shop, I barely leave. Maybe I walk next door to grab a bite to eat but that’s about it. I do have a window but I have black out curtains on it for facial treatments.
Watch for the next post that will talk about what types of foods can help with sleep and why you really shouldn’t go to bed hungry.
This information was given by Trish Greene of Balnea Spa Products. She is a Board Certified Aromatherapist, Dr of Homeopathy and a Cidesco trained Esthetician. She practices in Canada and has been an Eve Taylor rep for 25 years.
All the crazy legalize stuff I need to say. Consult your physician before taking anything suggested in this informational piece. I am not a Doctor, I am simply sharing the interesting information that I learned at a recent class. Do anything at your own risk, use common sense, and try to get some healthy sleep. No one is responsible for the choices you make except for yourself. None of us are responsible for anything you choose to do on your own accord.
