While we’re certainly not suggesting you can sleep yourself slim, catching your forty winks is pretty paramount to your ongoing wellness and weight loss success. When you’re focused on losing weight, it can be easy to zero in on things like nutrition, meal timing and exercise, and to lose sight of other important factors – like sleep and rest. Research shows that when we sleep, the brain produces hormones that govern things like body temperature, stress response, and importantly – hunger!
How Much Sleep Do I Need?
The average adult needs between 7-9 hours of sleep per night. However, before you check this off your to-do list and zone out, it’s worth noting that there’s a big difference between being in bed and actually sleeping. And it’s also important to consider whether you’re sleeping well. Sleep quality is considered a big indicator of mood, wellbeing and positive mental health. If you’re not sure how much, or how well, you’re sleeping, try a sleep app like Pillow, Sleep Cycle or invest in a FitBit tracker to measure the amount of time you spend sleeping lightly, heavily and in REM.
Top Tips For A Good Night’s Rest
It’s the one rule of good quality sleep: your bedroom should be a retreat reserved exclusively for rest (and special cuddles.) Turn your bedroom into a heavenly haven with these handy hacks.
1. Fade to Black. Research shows that artificial lighting messes with the hormone melatonin, which regulates our sleep-wake cycle. For the best night’s rest, keep lighting low before bed, eliminate mobile phones, computers and other electronic devices. If you do need a night-light, opt for one with a reddish hue instead, as the human eye is most sensitive to blue-based lights.
2. Pillow Talk. There’s limited research available on which pillows are best, and it seems to indicate that your pillow is a very personal preference. However, studies routinely show that participants find feather and foam pillows to be the least comfortable and are more likely to report a good night’s rest on latex, polyester and foam contour pillows.
3. Holy Sheet. When buying new sheets, most of us will opt for the highest thread count. Thread count is a measurement of how many threads there are per square inch of fabric, and it does count, but anything over about 400 requires manufacturers to use multi-ply threads or a lower grade of fabric to fit this number in. So, buyer beware. Experts say it’s better to invest in good quality fabric like organic cotton, with Egyptian and Pima being the top recommendations. The weave of a fabric is also important when determining comfort. If you prefer cool, crisp feeling sheets that are durable, choose a percale weave, and if you like a softer feeling sheet with a slight sheen, opt for the more delicate sateen weave.
4. Clean Slate. Because of all the bacteria, oils and environmental irritants that your beddie-byes comes into contact with, it’s important to regularly clean and change your sheets and pillowcase. Experts recommend washing sheets and pillowcases in hot water (around 55-65 degrees Celsius) once a week, cleaning and rotating your mattress every six months and investing in a mattress protector too. Replace regular polyester pillows every six months; memory foam and latex pillows will last around 18-36 months.
5. Get Comfy. No matter what time of year it is, research shows that people sleep better in a cool, constant environment. So rather than pumping up the heating in winter, stick to a temperature of around 21 degrees, and snuggle into warmer bedding and PJs. Cotton, bamboo or silk are popular choices for their moisture-wicking properties and ability to disperse body heat, but some research suggests that wool bedding could increase your ability to get to sleep more quickly and help keep you asleep longer too.
6. Heaven Scent. If you’re struggling to fall asleep or find yourself plagued by incessant thoughts, follow your nose to an aromatherapy solution. Research shows lavender oil can help with mild insomnia and anxiety, valerian oil can improve sleep quality, and bergamot can help relieve tension and anxiety. Lemon and citrus scents have also been found to increase the production of theta brain waves, which are the brain waves produced during light sleep and daydreaming, associated with deep relaxation.
7. True Colours. A recent survey found that people with blue bedrooms get the best night’s sleep, closely followed by those with yellow, green and silver bedrooms. Researchers think that this may be because cooler shades like blue have calming effects, as well as an ability to reduce blood pressure, and lower colour temperatures have been shown to reduce central nervous system activity. So consider a paint job, especially if your bedroom is purple, brown or grey.
See? It is possible to do nothing and get results. Wishing you a beautiful sleep SuperFasters! Remember, we love a good tip, so comment away with your fave ideas for summoning the sandman to catch some Z’s. And hop on over to the Members’ Facebook page to share your wisdom this week too!