I spent a few days last week at a gorgeous lakefront cottage with some great business partners. We masterminded over BBQ’d Polish kielbasas, fresh air, laughter and wine, all the while brainstorming our plans for world domination.
You know, the simpler things in life.
But anyways, the reason why I bring up this story is because the cottage had bunk beds.
And what the heck is my point?
If you remember being a little kid, you probably always fought for the TOP bunk. Back then, it was uber fun and cool.
But as grown-ups, most of us want the BOTTOM bunk.
Why?
Because it would be a major pain in the ass to have to climb down the ladder at 3:00 am so that you can go take a pee.
Yep. This is the reality of a grown-up’s life: very few of us sleep through the night.
And if you’re thinking to yourself,
Isn’t it normal to get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night?
…you’re dead wrong.
You should be sleeping through the night. Uninterrupted. All the time.
And for good reason, too. There are all kinds of studies that correlate a lack of sleep to:
- weight gain
- stress
- colds and flu
- cancer
So, here are 3 simple fixes you can do to improve your beauty sleep. ‘Cuz puffy eyes and dark circles are so 2010.
1) Ditch the sugary midnight snack.
If the last thing you eat before bed is a high-carbohydrate meal or snack (including alcohol), you’ll spike your blood sugar before you go to bed, and then it’ll take a nose dive somewhere in the middle of the night. In an effort to regulate your blood sugar, your body will start releasing a stress-response hormone called cortisol. Which, incidentally, will also wake you up.
If you think your bladder woke you up, think again. It’s the other way around: you woke your bladder up.
So instead of having a big bowl of pasta and tomato sauce or a handful of crackers ‘n wine, try something that will stabilize your blood sugar, like chicken/beef with vegetables and a pat of organic butter, or a small handful of nuts.
2) Sleep like a Caveman (or woman)
Well, to be honest, I have no idea how a caveman sleeps, but I’ll be he didn’t sleep with TV’s, laptops, Blackberries and iPhones.
Truth is, artificial lights and electromagnetic radiation are very stimulating and can wreak all kinds of havoc on your hormonal sleep rhythms.
Case in point: ever remember going camping and sitting by the fire, completely devoid of electricity and contact with the outside world. And at some point, everybody starts yawning and contemplating going into their tents. So you look at your watch and find out…. it’s only 9:37 pm?!?
So sleep in the dark. Pitch-black, if you can. And ditch the electronics and get them out of your bedroom.
3) Take drugs
Oh yeah, baby. I love drugs.
There are two of them I highly recommend:
- Magnesium
Magnesium is a wonderful mineral that does lots of brilliant things for the body, including calming the nervous system down and keeping you asleep through the night.
A word of warning – Some magnesium supplements also have a laxative effect, so you may want to experiment with dosages to find out what works for you. Otherwise, ahem, you’ll be waking up in the middle of the night for all the wrong reasons.
Alternatively, you can try a magnesium cream. Rub it on your feet before you go to bed and sleep the night away. Great for kids, too!
- Melatonin
Melatonin is also known as the sleep hormone. Many of us do not produce the proper amount of this hormone as a result of stress and improper eating habits, so it is a great idea to supplement with it.
It’s also brilliant for people who work shifts, or who travel across time zones a lot.
Melatonin. Night-night.
Well, there you have it. 3 simple fixes to help you get your beauty sleep: skip the sugary midnight snacks, sleep like a caveman/woman, and take magnesium and/or melatonin supplements to help you along.
And next time you go to a cottage with bunk beds and wanna feel like a kid again, pick the top bunk and sleep the night away.
Sweet dreams!
In health and high heels,
Mina.
***
Did you like this article? Like me, tweet me, link me, pin me and share the love! Or leave a comment below and tell me what changes you’ve made to get your beauty sleep.
