Sleep Better

A refresher course on improving tonight’s slumber.

- Cotton Codinha

According to a recent poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, 65 percent of Americans know that a good night’s rest is crucial to being productive and feeling well. And yet only 10 percent of us make it a priority. As with diet and fitness routines, it’s all too easy to slack on sleep. Here, some simple, highly effective steps you can take to get more z’s.

RECLAIM YOUR TIME

The ideal amount of sleep varies according to an individual’s genetics, but most people need between seven and nine hours, says Michael Breus, PhD, a Los Angeles clinical psychologist and sleep specialist. The average sleep cycle is 90 minutes long, and the average person goes through five cycles a night. To find your optimal duration, go to bed exactly seven and a half hours before your planned wake-up time. Add or subtract minutes to this bedtime until you’re able to wake up naturally at the same time each day, even without an alarm.

CHILL OUT