“When we shrink our whole reality down to pending projects, when our life becomes our endless to-do list, it’s difficult to put them aside each night and let ourselves fall asleep and connect with something deeper,” notes Arianna Huffington in her best seller, The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Time. A good night’s sleep can be elusive for many overachievers, but it is an imperative for sustained well-being.
To get the best sleep of your life, Ed Curry, president of Duxiana North America, and the team at Duxiana, suggest a five-pronged approach to put you in the right frame of mind. (Of course, it also helps to have a DUX bed, as researchers at the Karolinska Institute have found. The medical university that awards the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine discovered those who slept on a DUX bed fell asleep faster, and remained in deep sleep longer.)
1. Keep your room cool, dark and quiet. Experts agree that a bedroom should be slightly cool, dark and without lighted screens, clocks or stimulating light, and free of interruptive sounds. A blackout shade can prove useful if you have street lights making their presence known. Additionally, a small fan can work double-duty in providing a calming lull while also cooling your space.
2. Eat right to sleep tight. Your diet, as well as your exercise routine, can have an impact on your ability to sleep well. Avoid foods that can be stimulating, like caffeinated foods or beverages, and opt instead for foods that can promote sleep, like hazelnuts, cherries and salmon.
3. Cultivate your circadian rhythm. Being exposed to blue wavelength lights—the kind emitted by computers, TVs and smartphones—can interfere with sleep patterns. Limit the use of electronics near bedtime.
4. Lay your stress to rest—in another room. Seventy percent of adults in America say they are affected daily by stress or anxiety, often leading to difficulty sleeping. Consciously clear your mind of clutter, journal or write down worries, and prioritize tasks for the next day to leave your mind at ease.
5. Practice the 3 R’s. Keep a routine. Regular sleep patterns strengthen your inner clock and help you function better. Remove objects and activities that distract or overstimulate the mind just before bedtime. Relax—for some people it’s bubble baths and for others it’s reading before bedtime, but whatever winding down means to you, be sure it’s part of your routine at night. duxiana.com