What you doing during the day can have a major impact on how well you sleep at night. Building your sleep pressure is one of the best ways to help you sleep more soundly.
Here at Rested Health, we want to teach you the habits that have the least effort with the most reward. So, without further ado, here is one of the most important changes you can make sure your day doesn’t ruin your night!
EXPEND MORE ENERGY TO BUILD YOUR SLEEP PRESSURE
Action Plan
The Problem:
Not expending enough energy during the day makes it tougher to fall asleep and stay asleep
How to do it
Exert energy: Just 15 minutes of daily exercise boosts your sleep quality and quantity.
Wake up early and don’t take naps during the day to build sleep pressure.
The Science
One of the most effective ways to help you build your body’s need for sleep is exercise. A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology showed that regular exercise significantly increases restorative deep slow-wave sleep which improves hair, skin, metabolism and more! Even just 15 minutes of movement a day is enough to see improvements.
Hungry for Sleep?
Exerting mental and physical energy during the day is essential to keep a healthy sleep system. Try joining a team, walking group, or other organization to help you with accountability. You don’t have to train like an olympic athlete for results, just make an effort to get moving more and find something you enjoy doing!
Health Benefits
- Exercise lowers stress and helps to optimize your circadian rhythm and melatonin release at night.
- Better sleep boosts cognitive function, mood, and productivity!
- Fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly when you are in tune with your body’s need for sleep.
Tips
- Any activity is better than none. Start out simple with activities like 15-minute walks, gardening, yoga, or even cleaning!
- Instead of naps, beat midday lulls with upbeat music or activity!
- Avoid more than 4 cups of coffee a day and get your caffeine in before 2 pm to avoid caffeine-related adenosine disruptions
