Eight

As much as people like to joke, brag, or complain about not getting enough sleep, the truth is getting a good amount of high-quality sleep regularly—otherwise known as being sleep fit—is crucial. Getting enough rest is important for your health and happiness and can help you be more productive during the day. If you have your suspicions that you're “out of shape” when it comes to sleeping, here are the signs to look for along with some tips and tools to help improve your sleep fitness. You Can’t Fall Asleep Is there anything worse than lying down for a good night’s rest only to find yourself wide awake for an hour? It’s relatively common and frustrates many people across the country. There are a few reasons that you might find yourself wide-awake at night, all of which negatively impacts your sleep fitness. One of the most common is you are disrupting your circadian rhythm by watching TV or scrolling through social media before bed. The blue light from these screens can signal...

For many of us, becoming a morning person seems like a far-fetched dream. Sure, it would be nice to jump out of bed at 5 a.m. feeling refreshed and ready to start the day, but is it really possible? Well, it doesn't happen overnight, but if you're committed and make becoming a morning person a priority, with these tips, you can make it happen. It Starts in the Morning It's no secret that the key to waking up earlier is to go to bed earlier, but if you're a chronic night owl, even if you go to bed early one night, you might lay awake for an hour or so before actually fall asleep. If this happens, get up early the next morning regardless. By starting the day earlier your body will adapt and crave sleep sooner the next night. If you need a little bit of motivation to get up early, write down a list of the reasons that you want to wake up earlier. Maybe you want to squeeze in your workout in the morning so you have more time in the evening, or perhaps y...

Although it feels nice in the moment, hitting the snooze button is essentially postponing and putting the rest of your day on hold. Whether you want to be more productive or are just tired of running around the house to get ready every morning, it's time to address the primary way many people sabotage themselves at the start of the day. Why You Shouldn’t Hit Snooze Hitting snooze—although it seems like a blessing when you're exhausted—is actually hurting your sleep quality as those extra 9 minutes don't provide any benefits since it's not enough time for a sleep cycle. Instead, all you're doing is postponing the inevitable, and you'll be even more groggy when the alarm goes off again. Creating this cycle of hitting snooze every morning is a bad habit that far too many people have. You’re essentially training your brain to recognize the alarm as the cue to hit the snooze and sleep more rather than to wake up. This fragmented sleep can also neg...

Whether you're travelling for work or fun, one thing is for certain: Jumping time zones can wreak havoc on your sleep schedule if you aren't careful. Sleep schedules are fairly sensitive for many people and shifting your sleep times by even just a few hours can take a few days to adjust. While you're going to notice a little bit of disruption if you are travelling overseas, you can keep it to a minimum and fight off the dreaded jet lag if you're proactive and strategic. So, if you want to avoid waking up with night sweats several days after you return, here are a few tips to keep your circadian rhythm in check and stay as sleep fit as possible while traveling. How Long Are You Staying? How long you'll be staying at your destination can significantly impact what you should and shouldn't do to stay sleep fit. In general, it takes around two days to adjust your sleep schedule to a new time zone fully. So, if you're only there for a day, th...

Along with oxygen, water, and food, sleep is one of the essential components of life that everyone needs. Unfortunately, far too many people get poor-quality sleep. Some awaken in the middle of the night with night sweats while others toss and turn throughout the night. Consequently, many of us aren’t as productive and energized the following day.  If you've struggled with getting quality rest at night, there are simple steps you can take to try and fix it. In fact, your daily habits could be affecting your sleep without you even realizing it. Here are some common bad habits to look out for and correct for better quality rest every night. Scrolling Before Bed While smart phones, tablets, laptops, and other screens are essential devices for daily life, once bedtime rolls around, staring at these screens can negatively impact your quality of sleep. Scrolling through social media, sending texts, or playing a game on your phone are all highly interactive activi...

The humble mattress has come a long way in recent years, and companies are finding new and inventive ways to bring technology into the bedroom via smart beds. But, as with almost everything in life, not all smart mattresses are created equal. Here are the top features and attributes that you should consider when shopping for a new smart bed .  Premium Comfort First things first: No matter how much technology is packed into the mattress, it should be effortlessly comfortable and made using premium materials. Many smart beds are made using memory foam, but not all foam will be as comfortable as others. You should look for a smart bed that utilizes multiple layers of adaptive foam that will gently cradle your body while providing adequate support for your pressure points so you can rest easy in any sleeping position. Also, look for additional touches like a protective cover along with a top layer that perfectly molds to your pressure points and lets your body br...

Is your bedroom a sleep paradise? It’s something that many don’t consider when arranging and setting up their room, but it’s crucial. When it comes to sleep, some assume all that's necessary is a bed, a pillow, and a blanket, but if you continuously feel groggy during the day and need four cups of coffee just to make it to lunchtime, it's time for some changes. Along with going to bed around the same time every night (including weekends) to ensure you’re sleeping for 7-9 hours a night, other factors in your bedroom can significantly impact your sleep quality. If improving your sleep fitness is a goal for you, or you're just tired of feeling exhausted during the day, follow these tips to make your bedroom a sleeper’s paradise.  Your Bed Is an Investment In life, there are some things that you can afford to skimp on—your bed isn't one of them. You'll spend nearly one-third of your life in bed, so if you are willing to spring for leather seats in...