There's a reason they call it "beauty rest". Nothing rejuvenates your body and mind more than a good night's sleep. 8 hours is ideal, but I think 10 hours is best. Easier said than done right?
I personally struggle with going to bed every night. I work the late shift so I'm a bit of a night owl. I always have the worst time getting up in the morning, which becomes a problem when I have to go to class early in the morning.
Getting enough sleep not only improves your concentration, it also makes you feel more energized and happier. Your skin glows, your eyes don't look tired, and because you're in a better mood it just makes you an overall awesome person to be around.
My New Year's resolution for 2012 is to get more sleep by sleeping earlier at night. Sleeping in is never an issue for me. It's forcing myself into bed that's challenging. So I've put together a personal guide for getting one's fanny into bed sooner rather than later.
What's your New Year's resolution?
Tea and Bubbly's Guide for Getting Your Tush into Bed
1. Dim the lights. It has been scientifically proven that bright lights keep you up. Animals need darkness to signal their brains that it's sleepy time. While other animals have night and day cycles to do this for them, human beings are a little trickier because our world doesn't necessarily go dark at night. Which leads me to rule number two...
2. Step away from the computer. Same goes for watching TV. Not only does the screen emit a bright light that keeps you from feeling drowsy, it's also engaging and very distracting. You lose track of time and therefore feel like you've barely accomplished anything since you got home. And the last thing you want to do is start the next day when you just got home (*ahem* 4 hours ago) ...right?
3. Create a bed time playlist. Put together a playlist on iTunes of songs that relax you and make you feel at ease. My personal favorites are "January Rain" by David Gray, "Moonlight Kiss" by Bap Kennedy, and "Sparks" by Coldplay. Give it a shot.
4. Avoid the sugar. Midnight munchies are amazing but counter-productive. Opt for some decaf tea instead. If you're hungry, go ahead and raid your fridge for yogurt or a small bowl of cereal if you must. But don't overeat. As a Dietetics major, I've learned that your brain actually needs only two or three bites of something you're craving in order for you to feel satisfied.
5. Just get your fanny in bed already. Even if all you do is lie there staring at your wall. Sure your mind chatter may keep you up for a while, but at least you're in bed already. There's nothing to distract you. In fact, you might find that you're sleepier than you originally thought.
What do you think about this post? :) Thank you for reading my blog! Image courtesy of Fav Im.
