想睡好觉?科学家们总结了8个方法
Sleep is one of the most fundamental and basic things humans do. If we don't get enough, terrible things begin happening to our minds and bodies. But many find it extremely challenging to not only get an adequate amount of sleep every night, but to do it well. Business Insider previously turned to an expert - sleep scientist Patrick Fuller, an associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School - to get some answers. Here are seven things he does to ensure a great sleep every night. 1. He wakes up at the same time every morning. The problem many people have when trying fall asleep is that their sleep schedule isn't a schedule at all, but a free-for-all. Waking up at the same time every morning is one of the most important things you can do to get a good night's sleep, Fuller said. 2. He avoids stimulants past mid-day. At the end of a long workday, it's tempting to turn to that late afternoon latte to power you through. But avoid that espresso machine at all costs. However, caffeine has a long half-life, meaning that it takes up to six hours to wear off, so resist the urge to slurp sodas, coffees, and teas later in the day. 3. He gets at least 20 to 30 minutes of exercise during the day. Exercise is like a magical tonic that can help prevent a variety of ills such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, dementia, and more. It's also great for sleep. Studies have shown that morning and afternoon workouts can increase a person's quality of sleep at night. 4. He skips the evening booze. Many people find that alcohol is a tempting elixir to help you fall asleep. It relaxes your muscles, calms your nerves, and before you know it you're zonked out. But beware. Those soporific effects won't last through the night. In fact, drinking alcohol just before bedtime decreases the amount of time you spend in REM sleep - a deep and restorative phase of sleep. 5. He sets the sleeping mood. In order to set his body's internal clock to prepare it for sleep time, Fuller begins a ritual of dimming the lights about an hour before bedtime. Low light levels help to ramp up the body's natural production of melatonin, a hormone that helps you fall and stay asleep. 6. He avoids screens an hour before bedtime. Bright blue light from smartphone and iPad screens can trick your brain into thinking it's daytime, causing the sleep-inducing melatonin levels to drop. Over time, ruined sleep schedules from smartphone light can damage your memory and increase the risk of depression, obesity, and even certain cancers, among other things. 7. He hits the hay at the same time every night. The secret to getting a good night's sleep every single night involves setting up a routine that you stick to. In order to be bright-eyed when your alarm clock rings you have to go to sleep at the same time every night. 8. And most importantly, he's not obsessive about it. While Fuller does try to stick to this routine every day, he is realistic and does stray from time to time to accommodate, well, life. But when he does keep up with this routine, he finds that it always pays off. And so should you. Sleep tight! |