12 Tips For Better Sleep From Arianna Huffington

Arianna Huffington’s new book The Sleep Revolution reminds us  “exhaustion is a sign of chaos, not a badge of honor.” At Spafinder Wellness 365 we couldn’t agree more. In her introduction, Arianna points out  “There are nearly five thousand apps that come up when you search “sleep” in the Apple App Store, more than 15 million photos under #sleep on Instagram, another 14 million under #sleepy, and more than 24 million under #tired. A quick search for “sleep” on Google will bring up more than 800 million results. Sleep isn’t just buried in our subconscious; it’s on our minds, and in the news, as never before.” She adds “if you type the words “why am I” into Google? Before you can type the next word, Google’s autocomplete function—based on the most common searches—helpfully offers to finish your thought. The first suggestion: why am I so tired?” Clearly we all need to learn how to accept the fact that we need sleep, and make time to do it well, so as Arianna says we can “transform (our) life one night at a time.” Here are her top 12 tips for getting a better night’s rest.

1. Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool (between 60 and 67 degrees).
2. No electronic devices starting 30 minutes before bedtime.
3. Don’t charge your phone next to your bed. Even better: gently escort all devices completely out of your bedroom.
4. No caffeine after 2 p.m.
5. Remember, your bed is for sleep and sex only—no work!
6. Sorry, Mr. Snuffles: No pets on the bed.
7. Take a hot bath with Epsom salts before bed to help calm your mind and body.
8. Pajamas, nightdresses, and even special T-shirts send a sleep-friendly message to your body. If you wore it to the gym, don’t wear it to bed.
9. Do some light stretching, deep breathing, yoga, or meditation to help your body and your mind transition to sleep.
10. When reading in bed, make it a real book or an e-reader that does not emit blue light. And make sure it is not work-related: novels, poetry, philosophy, anything but work.
11. Ease yourself into sleep mode by drinking some chamomile or lavender tea.
12. Before bed, write a list of what you are grateful for. It’s a great way to make sure your blessings get the closing scene of the night.