We all stress about hours logged, but it turns out that how well you sleep matters more than how much, new research reveals. These habits will boost the quality of your Z’s and health.
We all stress about hours logged, but it turns out that how well you sleep matters more than how much, new research reveals. These habits will boost the quality of your Z’s and health.
For years, we’ve been told that it’s crucial to get seven to eight hours of sleep a night, and that if we don’t, we’re harming our health. Now, enlightening new research is challenging this notion. “There’s been a belief, even among experts, that our prehistoric ancestors slept eight or more hours a night,” says Jerry Siegel, the director of UCLA’s Center for Sleep Research. But his study found that people in hunter-gatherer societies, similar to our ancient predecessors, actually slept an average of 6½ hours – 30 minutes less than the amount recommended by the National Sleep Foundation in the US. What may be more important than the number of hours you snooze is how restful those Z’s are. “Good sleep quality is vital for your well-being,” explains Dr Charlene Gamaldo, the medical director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep at Howard County General Hospital in the US. “It improves your mood, memory and ability to focus. It can also boost your immune system and keep you from getting sick. More significantly, it can reduce your risk for problems such as diabetes and obesity.” People who don’t get quality sleep wake up exhausted every morning. They try to remedy the problem by heading to bed earlier or by sleeping later. “But if your sleep quality is poor, getting more of it won’t help,” says Bryce Mander, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkeley’s Sleep and Neuroimaging Lab. Instead, you need to address the root of the problem. These strategies will help you go deeper and sounder, starting tonight.
Sweat often…
Exercise tires you out, which helps you sleep better. That’s obvious. But sticking with a workout routine becomes especially important in your 30s and beyond. “Sleep quality and quantity naturally declines starting around age 35,” Bryce says. Working out can prevent some of that change, research in the journal Sleep shows. It doesn’t take much: Just a half hour of exercise a day five days a week can improve sleep by 65 percent, according to a study in the journal Mental Health and Physical Activity. While exercising at any time of day will help, people who work out in the afternoon see the biggest benefit, Bryce says. Just avoid sweating too late at night, which could disrupt your sleep.
…outside if possible
Those who have access to places such as parks, beaches or woods snooze better than people who don’t, recent research from the University of Illinois in the US revealed. That’s probably because they tend to be more physically active. So get outdoors, even if you live in the city. Being in natural light also regulates your body clock, which in turn helps you rest at night.
Hang out with friends more
Surrounding yourself with supportive family and friends may increase your sleep quality, according to new research from the University of Utah in the US. Chalk it up to evolution, says the study’s author, Rob Kent de Grey. In prehistoric days, humans who lived in close-knit clans could trust that someone was watching their back and keeping them safe from predators, which allowed them to sleep easier, he explains. Even though you don’t need friends to physically protect you today, knowing that you have a tribe is comforting and helps ease stress, which translates to better rest, he adds. By the same token, negative relationships can keep you awake at night – yet another reason to cut toxic people out of your life.
Eat a lot of seafood
In a new study published in the journal Sleep Medicine, researchers found that people who regularly ate oily fish such as mackerel and tuna had better sleep quality than those who ate less. “These fish contain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which enhance the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that’s involved in sleep regulation,” says Dr Oscar Del Brutto, the lead researcher. In the study, those who slept the soundest consumed an average of nine servings of oily seafood a week. Because the average person doesn’t eat nearly that much, Dr Del Brutto suggests augmenting your diet with a 1g omega-3 supplement twice daily.
Try the 4-5-7 breathing technique before bed
Breathe in for four counts, hold for five, then exhale for seven, suggests Michael Breus, a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Repeat this technique three times before bed or anytime you wake up in the middle of the night. Deep breathing helps regulate the nervous system, counteracting the effects of stress, and primes your body for superrestful sleep.
Swop white noise for the pink type
Nothing jolts you awake more quickly than a car alarm going off or a loud plane overhead. To drown out these disruptive sounds, many people turn on a fan at night or use a sound machine. But surprisingly, the white noise they produce can harm the quality of your sleep, Bryce says. A better bet: pink noise. While white noise and pink noise both combine several sound frequencies, pink noise emphasises lower frequencies more than the white type does, creating a gentler sound that has been shown to improve sleep, Bryce explains. The technology is not perfected yet, but give the Sleep and Noise Sounds app (free, App Store and Google Play) a try. It has a pink-noise track to use while you snooze.
NATURAL SLEEP AID
If you suffer from insomnia, taking a melatonin supplement may help. A hormone produced in the brain, melatonin helps make you drowsy and improves your sleep quality, according to research in the journal Plos One. “Melatonin works on your internal clock, signalling your brain and body that it’s time to drift off , and then it helps you stay asleep,” explains Michael Breus, author of The Sleep Doctor’s Diet Plan. He recommends taking 0.5mg of melatonin 90 minutes before bedtime for the best results.
