There’s nothing more rejuvenating than a good night’s sleep. But did you know that there’s an important distinction between sleep quantity and sleep quality? While the number of hours you sleep is an important factor, sleep quality is a critical, often-overlooked element that impacts multiple facets of your health. High-quality sleep is restorative for the body and can influence everything from metabolic function to susceptibility to chronic illnesses.
On today’s show, we’re going to delve into five bad habits that are destroying your sleep quality. Fortunately, improving your sleep quality is something you may be able to control with a few simple tweaks to your sleep hygiene. You’re going to discover some interesting studies on circadian rhythms, melatonin production, the body’s internal thermostat, and more.
More importantly, you’re going to learn about simple changes you can implement today that can make a huge difference in your sleep quality. You’re going to learn about light exposure, temperature regulation, foods to consume (& avoid), and the role that stress levels play in your overall sleep quality. So click play, take advantage of any of these habits you can improve on, and enjoy the show!
In this episode you’ll discover:
- How the glymphatic system works.
- The number of Americans that are sleep deprived.
- Which brain waves are associated with the different sleep stages.
- How long the average sleep cycle is.
- The role of the suprachiasmatic nucleus.
- How using light-emitting electronics after dark can impact your circadian clock.
- Tips for reducing light exposure at night.
- The ideal temperature for sleeping.
- How cortisol levels impact sleep quality.
- Why you should think twice before exercising at night.
- The connection between cortisol and melatonin.
- How eating too close to bedtime impacts your cortisol levels and sleep cycles.
- The importance of getting access to natural light.
- How movement in the morning can reset your cortisol rhythm.
- What effects sugar consumption has on sleep.
- How alcohol can impact sleep cycles.
- What the REM rebound effect is.
- Why you should set a caffeine curfew.
- Real food sources to improve the hormones that affect sleep.
Items mentioned in this episode include:
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