Your a.m. routine could be having a big impact on your Zzzs. Here's what you should avoid.
, especially if you have a big sleep debt. To the extent it’s possible, however, try not to make it a regular thing.Sleep is governed by our circadian rhythms . And the sun’s cycle has a huge impact on those rhythms day to day.
Your body’s circadian clock is most sensitive to light starting about two hours before your usual bedtime and lasting throughout the night up until about one hour before your usual wake time,“Exposure to light during these times will affect when your body naturally gets sleepy and is ready to fall asleep,” theWhat all of this means is that exposing yourself to plenty of bright light in the morning can help shift your bedtime earlier; by the evening, you’re more likely to be sleepy and primed...
Not all to-do lists are created equal, though. First and foremost, it’s a good idea to write it down. “When you try to manage your to-do list in your head, you’re likely to forget items,” HuffPost senior reporter Kelsey Borresen. “Jotting it down on paper gives you something concrete to refer to when your brain feels like mush.”. It’s a plan, not a wish list.Checking your phone immediately after waking means you’re letting someone else dictate what’s on your mind first thing. And that can set the tone for the rest of the day — right up until your bedtime.
“If we wake up and we check our phone and there’s an email from our boss that says, ‘we need to talk,’ or there’s an email from a client who’s like, ‘Hey, can I call you later?’ we can go straight from our slumber into panic mode, where your heart is racing,”