Twin Cities wellness coach Amy Mattila likes to say that "your habits make your life."
We'll put that to the test this week. For our Snooze Goal we're going to focus on "sleep hygiene," a set of prescribed habits that help us sleep well. We'll also look at the science behind these seemingly simple habits.
Over the next seven nights, try at least one of these recommendations from local sleep experts. Your sleep diary will give you clues about which ones might make the most difference for you, so take it out to pinpoint your interruptions and issues.
Keep it dark: When our eyes are exposed to light, it stimulates a nerve pathway to parts of the brain that control hormones, body temperature and other functions that impact how awake we feel. Darkness is key to regulating our biological clocks. It tells our body that it's time for bed, and if we wake in the middle of the night, it signals that it's still time for sleep.
• Dim overhead lights or switch to softer lamplight in the hours before bedtime.
• Prepare a dark bedroom, with blackout curtains that block moonlight or shining street lamps.
• Keep digital devices or clocks more than an arm's length away so that you aren't tempted to look at them when you wake in the middle of the night to check the time and start calculating how much time you have left to sleep. That's what Sleep Health Specialists' Sarah Moe calls "panic math."
• Don't give into the temptation to check the time if you wake in the night, said Moe. Just relax and try not to engage your brain.