Many people have lifestyles that influence their sleeping patterns—from employees who work beyond office hours to finish all their deadlines to parents who have to wake up very early and stay up late to tend to their kids. Aside from that, they also have electronic devices which sometimes serve as distractions that hinder them from getting enough sleep.
To achieve good sleep for healthy wellbeing, Happy Skin founder Rissa Mananquil-Trillo and sleep specialist Dr. Keith Aguilera shared benefits, tips, and tricks at the recent Uratex Premium celebration of World Sleep Day held at SM Mall of Asia Activity Center:
The truth about sleep
Sleep influences physical and mental health—Dr. Keith explained that sleep will dictate a person’s future physical and mental health: “Among teenagers, if you have good sleep, it decreases your risk of getting obesity. If you sleep less, you will crave for more sweets and salty foods. Studies also show that patients who lack sleep could develop Alzheimer’s disease.” Meanwhile, a good night’s sleep will keep a person alert and energized throughout the day, help boost their immune system, and improve concentration.
Getting enough sleep clears skin — The concept of beauty sleep is not a myth. Research suggests that getting eight hours of sleep is vital in repairing, regenerating, and restructuring the skin. “A lot of women invest in expensive skin care. What they don’t realize is that your skin care will work best when you get enough sleep,” advised Mananquil-Trillo.
Establishing a healthy bedtime routine
Follow a bedtime schedule—A person’s body craves for consistency. Thus, maintaining a sleeping schedule is critical to well-being—it helps our body systems prepare for and anticipate our regular daily schedules. Having a schedule alerts the body to our wake up time then relaxes and become sleepy prior to bedtime.
Avoid alcohol, caffeine, smoking, and spicy and sugary foods before bedtime—Alcohol, smoking, caffeine, salty and sugary foods are stimulants that can disrupt people’s sleeping patterns. Thus, excessive drinking of alcohol, caffeine such as coffee, tea and sodas, and food items that are heavy, salty, or sugary should be avoided at least four to six hours before bedtime.
Exercise regularly—“Exercise regularly but not before bedtime,” stressed Dr. Aguilera. He said working out late can have an adverse effect on one’s health and impact their lifestyle. Decreases in body temperature signals the body to sleep, and exercising only leads the body temperature to rise and will take about six hours to drop. Exercise in the morning or at least three hours before bedtime.
Reserve bed for sleep—The bed should not be used as an office, workroom, or recreation room. Eliminate all sources of light which include smartphones and gadgets and lights around the home as they keep a person alert and awake.
Invest in a good mattress—According to Mananquil-Trillo, it’s important to invest in things used often. For her, it’s a mattress from Uratex which has been with her for eight years. She shared, “Investing in things that you use a lot eventually translates to your wellness. Having a good mattress has given me the comfort and quality of sleep that I need to get through my day to day activities.”