Getting Enough Zzzzzs!

   Yes, I have to say the most common complaint I hear among friends & coworkers is the 'not enough sleep' conundrum. Yes, it is a puzzle at times because some have trouble falling asleep, some staying asleep and then trying to fall back... and it continues. What we do know from study after study is that 6-8 hours with the emphasis towards 8 hours is extremely important for optimum health & well being. So what can we do? Well the Jan/Feb issue of Cooking Light combines all the latest facts that just might shed some light...

    Let's start with light because it is so important. The light from our small technology devices are emitting the brain-activating blue wavelength. (Hint here - we don't want to activate our brains before bed!) So the suggestion is to say good night to those phones & pads one hour before lights out. Now the interesting part to all this is as we turn to read for that hour before bed, well we need to make sure that we use the traditional light bulbs to read by. The cost-saving cfls emit - you guessed it - the blue light we are trying to avoid. (Cfls without this wavelength are available, but costly) I say buy up some incandescents and sleep well! Remember to keep your room dark when it is lights out.

   Let's talk temperature. Cooler is way better. Sixty-five degrees is optimum to help the body's core temp to cool. A plus will be an increased metabolism & energy in your waking hours! Hanging one foot out to stay cool has also been shown to benefit a restful sleep.

   Let's talk stress. Worry can cause sleeplessness for sure. You can get out of bed for a bit (read a bit) & then go back & try again. I have been listening to a white noise app on my smart phone & it works wonders! Soft music has been proven to work well too & those who do spend more time in the restful REM sleep.

    For myself, I need my Zzzzs bad! The new, old light bulb, really cool room (and light pajamas - yes menopause still throws an added wrench into the situation - and light layers of covers) and white noise of heavy rain have been lifesavers! Don't forget those restful yoga postures too like Legs Up A Wall! Sweet Dreams!