As the days grow longer, extra hours of sunlight can disrupt your body clock and affect melatonin production, increasing the risk of restless nights and morning grogginess. But a few tweaks to your routine can reset your sleep cycle, helping you drift off faster, slumber more restfully and wake up refreshed.
Soak up the morning sun
Start your day with a dose of bright light—say, by enjoying coffee near a sunny window or on your patio—and you’ll set yourself up for better sleep tonight. Morning light hitting your retinas halts melatonin production (the hormone that makes you feel drowsy) and triggers an internal timer to restart its release earlier in the evening. Indeed, a recent study in the Journal of Sleep Research found that people exposed to bright light in the morning fell asleep faster, slept significantly more soundly and experienced less next-day sleepiness.
Take a ‘sleep walk’
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A short, brisk walk does more than get your blood flowing—it also improves your sleep. A study published in BMJ Open found that just 30 minutes of exercise twice a week can help you fall asleep faster, even on days when you don’t exercise. Prefer swimming, cycling or pickleball? Any heart-pumping activity helps ease anxiety, a common culprit that prevents you from drifting off quickly.
Adopt a simple fine-dining trick
Candlelight and soft music can transform your everyday dinner into a sleep-enhancing ritual. Credit goes to “red” light in the candle’s flicker. Research in the Journal of Athletic Training suggests that low-energy red wavelengths in the evening trigger your body to kick-start the release of melatonin so you start to feel sleepy. Pair that with soothing music and the effects may be even stronger. A University of Nevada study found that listening to music at night helped women sleep more soundly and wake up feeling refreshed.
Squeeze and release
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The moment you lie down, relax your body and mind with a “full-body scan” by tensing each muscle group for 5 seconds before releasing for 10 seconds. Start with your face, scrunching it tightly, then move down through your shoulders, arms, chest, abdomen, thighs, calves and feet, skipping any areas that cause discomfort. Known as progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), the technique calms physical tension in the body triggered by a busy brain, quickly lowering your heart rate and helping you fall asleep faster, suggests Swiss research published in the journal Sleep Medicine.
Block your clock
Indiana University research suggests that checking the time when you wake at night can cause insomnia. Doing so during natural moments of “light wakefulness” between sleep cycles jolts the brain into full alertness, pulling you out of your natural sleep rhythm. Indeed, researchers found that when people “clock watched,” their insomnia worsened and they increased their reliance on sleep meds. The fix: Place your clock (or phone!) out of your line of sight.
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This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.