Anxiety, stress, and overstimulation are a few of the factors that can cause you to toss and turn at night. If you have ever spent a night tossing and turning without getting more than a total hour of sleep, you understand the struggle. The sun rises and you are immediately in a bad mood because you were unsuccessful at getting proper shuteye. In this article, we will explore why tossing and turning occurs and how to put it to bed, pun fully intended. 

There are numerous reasons that cause you to toss and turn all night. Overstimulation, an underlying medical condition, anxiety, and more are all potential causes. Let’s take a closer look at more causes and how they impact your sleep. 

Feelings Of Stress

Stress can cause a variety of physical and mental symptoms that can make it harder to fall asleep. High stress levels can cause tense muscles, which can make it difficult for your body to relax while lying in bed. A study from 2017 found that higher stress levels reduced overall sleep quality in medical students. 

Inconsistent Sleep Schedule

Going to bed when you are not tired, or going to bed too late or too early, can affect overall sleep quality. It seems strange that being overly tired can make it harder to fall asleep, but it happens a lot. The main thing researchers want you to know is that a consistent sleep schedule can reduce tossing and turning and increase sleep duration. 

Feeling Anxious

If you have an anxiety disorder, increased anxiety at night can make it harder to fall asleep and remain asleep. A 2017 study found that somatic anxiety significantly impacted sleep quality. An anxious or racing mind can make you feel restless, which can cause you to toss and turn more than normal. 

Being Overstimulated

The National Sleep Foundation notes that blue light from phones, TVs, and other electronic devices can delay the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Loud noises and bright lights from outside the bedroom can also stimulate the senses. The combination of blue light exposure and loud noises can cause you to toss and turn. 

Imbalanced Diet

Never underestimate the repercussions of a poor diet. There are nutrients in foods that support the body’s production of melatonin, in addition to other neurotransmitters that regulate sleep. An imbalance in these nutrients can make it more difficult to fall asleep. Keep track of the foods you eat and consider modifying your diet, focusing on fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, lean protein, whole grains, and legumes. 

Underlying Health Conditions

Certain health conditions can lead to poor sleep quality. The most common conditions that cause sleep troubles are as follows:

• Sleep apnea: This sleep disorder causes people to repeatedly stop breathing and breathe shallowly while sleeping. The interruption of your breath during sleep can impact your ability to sleep soundly; thus, you can toss, turn, and wake up frequently throughout the night. 
• Restless leg syndrome: This causes a person to have an overwhelming urge to move their legs. Researchers note that this restless sensation most commonly occurs when the body is at rest, such as lying down in bed. Due to the constant need for movement, people with this condition can experience frequent tossing and turning. 
• Insomnia: Characterized by the inability to fall or stay asleep, insomnia can cause people to rely on various things to achieve the smallest amount of sleep. Insomnia can also be caused by other health conditions. Insomnia can cause a lot of movement in bed, but is typically characterized by an inability to fall asleep. 

How To Stop Tossing And Turning At Night

If you frequently toss and when you finally lay your head to rest, you are in need of a good night’s sleep. Continue reading to learn how to improve sleep hygiene and reduce tossing and turning.

• Turn off the electronics at least one hour before bed to help prepare your body and mind for sleep. That means that you should not be looking at your phone or watching TV in that hour before bed. Choose to read a good book to help relax the body before bed. 
• Follow a consistent sleep schedule by aiming to go to bed and wake up around the same time every day. Traveling, appointments, or concerts and performances can get in the way of your bedtime. Whenever possible, do your best to maintain a consistent sleep schedule in order to help your body fall asleep every night. 
• Establish good sleep hygiene by creating a bedroom that you feel comfortable sleeping in. Get yourself a high-quality bed and invest in bedding that suits your body. Perhaps you require cooling sheets or a flatter pillow. Whatever you need, do yourself a favor and make your body comfortable. You spend one-third of your life sleeping, so invest in yourself!
• Engage in exercise or some form of physical activity during the day to help improve sleep quality. Sitting, sitting, and more sitting will not burn off excess energy. If you find that you have a lot of energy at the end of the day, consider moving your body more throughout the day.
• Practice a variety of relaxation techniques to find out which one works best to calm your mind and body. Research indicates that various breathing techniques can help relax the body and improve sleep quality. You can engage in meditation, deep breathing, grounding techniques, or visualizing to ready the body for sleep.

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We’ve all been in this situation: it’s the middle of the night, you wake up, and cannot fall back asleep, no matter what you do. Perhaps you count sheep, experiment with 4-7-8 breathing, or think about a peaceful, relaxing scenario and you still toss and turn. There’s no need to wrestle with your blankets in a restless state or resort to doom-scrolling on your phone until your morning alarm goes off. 

After waking up in the middle of the night, you should take a moment to breathe and consider things that will negatively affect your sleep for the remainder of the night. How do you do that, though? In this article, we will provide advice from sleep experts on how to fall back asleep after waking up in the middle of the night. We will also suggest tips that may prevent you from waking up at night!

Woke Up In The Middle Of The Night? Here’s How To Fall Back Asleep

The worst thing you can do when you wake up in the middle of the night is look at your phone. You don’t need to look at the time because that only makes things worse, at least for most people. In addition to the blue light keeping you awake for longer, you could start to feel frustrated about waking up and not being able to fall back asleep. 

Sleep experts actually recommend getting out of bed, especially if you feel frustrated and your mind is racing. Get up out of bed, go sit somewhere, and engage in something calming and relaxing. Reading a book, meditating, or practicing deep breathing can help calm the mind and body. Whatever you do, don’t bring your phone with you because the blue light won’t do you any favors. You can, however, turn on a dim light while you engage in your quiet, calming activity. 

What’s important to note is that the activity itself may not make you sleepy. The goal is that it passes the time, which may not be the result you want. Isn’t the activity supposed to lull you back to sleep? The point of leaving your bed is to teach yourself that the bed is not a place to toss and turn; rather, it is a place for sleep. The more you toss and turn and force yourself to feel sleepy in bed, the more you will stay awake. Your bed, then, is no longer a place of sleep. Sitting on the couch and reading is a great activity, but don’t force sleepiness to happen. When you get sleepy again, you can return to your bed. 

How To Prevent Nighttime Wake-Ups

If you wake up at night, getting out of bed may help you out in the long run. In order to prevent those midnight wake-ups, there are strategies that sleep experts encourage people to practice. Going to bed later than your usual bedtime is one of those strategies. If you have trouble falling asleep or struggle with waking up early, going to bed later may help. Going to bed early only works if you are actually tired and sleepy. It is of no benefit to you if you go to bed early and lie there with your mind racing at 100 miles per hour. 

Sleep experts note that it is better to go to bed when you feel sleepy. That will give you more confidence in your ability to fall asleep, as opposed to going to bed because you think you should. Going to bed when you are actually tired will help you fall asleep faster. Chances are that you will wake up less often throughout the night. There are also many bedtime routines that can help you wind down and promote relaxation. Just remember that if you do wake up in the middle of the night, don’t put too much pressure on yourself to fall back asleep instantly. That will only make the issue worse.

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Before you even know about practical habits that promote motivation every morning, you have to understand willpower and motivation itself. Motivation is what fuels your actions, e.g. the reason for pursuing a goal. Willpower is essentially a mental muscle that can help you resist easy short-term gratification. By resisting a simple pleasure like grabbing takeout instead of cooking at home, you stay committed to your goals. Consider the following in regards to motivation and willpower:

• Motivation can change: It is completely natural for motivation to ebb and flow. You may feel incredibly enthusiastic one day and low energy the next. Being able to recognize this change can help you manage expectations and maintain strategies to keep motivation alive. 
• Willpower is finite: Like any muscle, willpower can experience fatigue over the course of a day. When you set up habits to encourage motivation, make sure that you don’t solely rely on willpower, or else you will burn out. 
• Internal and external motivation: Internal motivation comes from personal values or passions, while external motivation can come from rewards, outside pressure, or recognition. By harnessing the power of internal motivation, you can help sustain your energy in the long-term. 

Set Clear And Achievable Goals For The Coming Day

A common reason for an unproductive day can be because you don’t have a plan in place. Without the right system to organize the tasks you need to accomplish, you may feel overwhelmed or unable to right the ship. The best thing to do is make a to-do list the night before or first thing when you wake up. By setting clear and achievable goals for the day, you can remain organized and motivated. If you already have a to-do list that is quite long, consider scaling down to one to three of your most important tasks. If you still feel overwhelmed, figure out what the first step is and create momentum to carry you through to your next task. 

Prepare The Night Before

If you want to be successful in the morning, prepare the night before. When you prepare for the coming day, you can help decrease decision fatigue, reduce stress, and begin your morning on a positive note. Preparing at night means you have less to do in the morning. If you can prepare any part of your daily tasks the night before, make that a habit. Consider the following ideas:

• Prepare your meals: Have a quick breakfast, such as overnight oats or chia pudding, ready to go. Have your leftovers or meal prep in a container, even if you work from home. 
• Plan your outfit: Choose your clothes and accessories the night before to eliminate the morning stress of figuring out what to wear. 
• Organize your space: Tidy up your workspace and living area a little bit because a clean environment can help you remain calm and keep you focused.
• Set up your tea or coffee: If you enjoy tea or coffee in the morning, prepare it the night before. This small habit means that you will have less to do in the morning. 

Create A Morning Routine

A routine that works for one person may be different for another person. Setting up a morning routine can be a powerful way to start your day and stick to your goals. If you can jump right into productivity, then you may not need a routine. If you need an extra boost to organize and boost productivity, consider including following ideas in your routine:

• Exercise: Whether you walk around the block or do some squats and push-ups, physical activity in the morning can release endorphins, which boost motivation and mood. 
• Wake up early: Waking up early usually means that you have to go to bed earlier if you want to get enough sleep. Having extra time for self-care in the morning can change the way you approach your day, though. 
• Journal: Journaling is an easy practice to help you release your thoughts and feelings. You can express gratitude, set intentions, or just vomit words to let out some steam. 
• Mindfulness: If you want to clear your mind and set positive intentions for the day, spend a few minutes practicing meditation or mindfulness. Five to 10 minutes is perfectly sufficient!
• Eat a healthy breakfast: Finish your morning routine with a nutritious breakfast that contains protein, healthy fats, and fiber. Such a breakfast will help kickstart your metabolism, give you energy, and keep you full until lunch. 

Establish A Consistent Sleep Schedule

A solid foundation for morning motivation begins the night before. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, i.e. waking up and going to bed at the same time, helps regulate your body’s circadian rhythm. Sleeping for seven to eight hours a night can help you feel refreshed and ready to tackle the day. To maintain a consistent sleep schedule: 

• Limit screen time before bed: Blue light from screens can disrupt the body’s production of melatonin. Avoid screens at least one to two hours before bedtime. 
• Create a relaxing bedtime routine: Start practicing calming activities, such as reading, meditation, or stretching, to help wind down before bed. 
• Set a bedtime: Ideally, you go to sleep and wake up at the same time nearly every day. Make sure that your bedtime allows for seven to nine hours of sleep and stick to that schedule, even on the weekends, in order to help reinforce your body’s sleep/wake cycle.

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The environment affects your skin, whether you are indoors or outside. Ultraviolet (UV) rays, blue light, pollution, and more are environmental factors that cause oxidative damage to the skin. This process breaks down collagen and may even damage the skin barrier, which compromises the skin. A damaged barrier makes you more prone to dry skin, cracking, and damaging effects of environmental factors. 

UV Rays Are the Biggest Threat To The Skin

UV rays from the sun are the most significant environmental factor that can damage the skin. Not only do they increase signs of aging, but they also increase the risk of skin cancer. UV rays trigger the production of free radicals, which can surpass neutralizing antioxidants according to research. These free radicals can break down collagen and elastin, causing wrinkles and other signs of aging. UV rays also stimulate melanin production, which can cause skin discolorations. Over time, too much exposure to UV rays without proper protection can dramatically increase the risk of numerous forms of skin cancer, especially melanoma. 

Air Pollution Plays A Role

Not only can air pollution affect your breathing, but it can also cause free radical damage on the skin, just like UV rays. Exposure to particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and hydrocarbons can cause skin inflammation and oxidative stress. According to research, skin inflammation can impair collagen synthesis, which causes the skin to sag and wrinkle over time. The last thing you want is for pollution to chew up your collagen and elastin! 

If you want to take action to protect your skin from environmental damage, consider the following tips. They may come in handy more than you know!

Pick A Functional Powder For Sun Protection

If you are on-the-go, consider getting your hands on a functional powder. These types of powders have built-in SPF and are great options because you can dust them over existing lotions or makeup. They are great if you work in an office and need a little midday touch-up. 

Try A Mineral Sunscreen

If you spend time in the sun, dermatologists agree that you must wear sunscreen in order to protect your skin. Ideally, you want to use sunscreens that contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, both of which physically block UV rays. Chemical sunscreen may be invisible after applying on the skin, but they allow some absorption of light. That’s why skin care experts recommend mineral-based sunscreens to effectively protect the skin. They may leave a whitish appearance on the skin, but better to be protected than not! 

Consider Supplementing With Vitamins C & E

UV rays, air pollution, and blue light can all cause oxidative stress on the skin, a process that breaks down collagen and elastin. The best way to neutralize free radicals is by maintaining a steady intake or application of antioxidants. Vitamin C tends to work more efficiently with vitamin E, according to research studies. That’s why they are often together in different formulations. Vitamin C and E serums can help prep your skin in the morning, providing a natural defense that it needs to face the day. 

Opt For More Antioxidants

Not only do antioxidant serums have their place in the morning, but they also have their place at night. Opting for ingredients like glutathione and resveratrol can help repair damage that was done during the day. Resveratrol, which exists in grapes, peanuts, soy, and other foods, can sop up free radicals. Glutathione is another antioxidant that works to address dark spots, according to one study. There are many antioxidant creams or ointments that work to fight sun-damaging effects, but don’t neglect the consumption of antioxidants from colorful plant-based foods. Those do great things for your skin and other bodily systems and organs. 

Wash Up Carefully Before Bed

After being out and about all day, you need to wash off all that grime that the skin accumulates. Before you go to bed, use a gentle cleanser that works to both clean out pores and keep the skin barrier intact. If you use a cleanser that is too rough, then you increase the risk of skin irritation. 

Always Protect At Night

In addition to cleansing after a long day, you may want to apply other skin-nourishing ingredients before you hit the hay. Moisturizers or serums that contain antioxidants can help clear up environmental damage and support collagen production throughout the night.

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Gloomy winter weather is typically the first thing that comes to mind in a conversation about seasonal depression. It’s no secret that many people suffer from seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), in the winter months. A less common type of seasonal depression arrives on beautiful, sunny summer days, and it is just as serious. 

How is it possible that warm days and sunshine cause someone to head down a depressive spiral? Before passing judgment, always remember that every person is different. It’s estimated that up to 30% of people with seasonal depression will experience summer depression, according to psychiatrists. People with summer-patter depression, also known as reverse SAD, tend to experience symptoms of depression about four or five months out of the year when the weather is warmer. 

As with any form of depression, early treatment is the best approach. The exact timing of treatment will depend on the person’s history with the mental illness. There are no studies of treatments that are specific to summertime depression, but the following strategies may help relieve symptoms and boost mood. 

Dark Therapy

Just as light therapy can benefit those with winter SAD, dark therapy may help those with summer SAD. Some people report that they feel better when wearing dark glasses. Wearing blue-blocking goggles at night may help reduce the stimulating effects of blue light. Additionally, wearing blue-blocking goggles has been able to benefit people with manic or hypomanic symptoms in bipolar people. If you feel irritable or agitated as a result of summertime depression, consider wearing blue-blocking goggles. You can also turn off all screens at night to help limit your blue light exposure. 

Create A Routine And Stick To It

Psychiatrists explain that following a consistent routine can help inspire motivation and fulfillment. Start with the basics: wake up on time, brush your teeth, shower, maintain regular mealtimes, and schedule bedtime. If you feel comfortable with all of that, consider adding exercise, self-care practices, and creative outlets to your routine. A great way to stick to a routine is to write your routine down in a planner. You can also use a scheduling or productivity app. You can even go so far as to write memos on sticky notes!

Avoid Depression Traps

What is a depression trap, exactly? The ways in which people cope with depression are not always the most conducive to their mental health. Engaging in these traps will only worsen depression symptoms. Some of these unhealthy behaviors include:

• Blaming yourself constantly
• Watching too much pornography
• Eating when you’re bored, not hungry
• Gambling online, often
• Playing video games for hours and hours
• Spending a lot of time browsing your phone or laptop
• Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol

Shift Your Circadian Rhythm

One theory about winter SAD is that circadian rhythms change, go awry even, during the winter. Circadian rhythm is the body’s internal program that regulates the timing of all biological functions. The circadian rhythm is orchestrated by daily cycles of light and dark. Depending on winter or summer SAD, light or dark may help reset the person’s internal clock. Some people with summer SAD feel that their circadian rhythms run late, so they walk outdoors each day during summer at sunrise and look in the direction of the sun for 10 minutes. This is a simple practice that may lift spirits throughout the summer. There are no studies to back this up, so you may have to experiment for yourself to see if it benefits your circadian rhythm. 

Cold Temperature Treatment

If you are familiar with the Ice Man, also known as Wim Hof, then you understand the importance of the ice bath. Many people have embraced cold therapy for accelerated recovery, more energy, and reduced inflammation. Plunging into a cold bath shocks the body and has a therapeutic effect. In fact, many cold plunge enthusiasts agree that regular ice baths help to boost mood. Others report that cryotherapy has a similar effect, although that is much colder than an ice bath. Fill a tub with cold water and some ice next time you feel down and take a three minute plunge, taking care to breathe deeply throughout. You may love the results!

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It is very easy to collapse on the couch and mindlessly watch TV shows or movies at the end of a long day. You probably scroll aimlessly through social media on your phone when you get bored of the TV. This is the common way to “wind down,” but all that blue light stimulation can make it more difficult to fall asleep once your head hits the pillow. How do you fix that? Are there more intentional ways to relax and calm down in the evening? 

Before you engage in the following evening wind down methods, take stock of how much time you have when you get home before you go to bed. If you only have a couple hours, you may have to pick and choose smarter strategies. The important thing is that you take the time to deliberately unwind. Whether you arrive home after a long day of work or a hectic class schedule, the following relaxing strategies can help you take it easy. 

Use Relaxation Tools

Use technology to your advantage during your unwinding routine. There are various meditation apps and other affordable gadgets that help promote relaxation. A diffuser can be a great choice because you can add different essential oils, like lavender, that help calm the mind. Acupuncture mats, scalp massages, and foot baths are other inexpensive methods to help you relax after a long day. Consider looking at acupressure socks because they offer comfort and help your foot muscles recover. 

Do Something Uplifting For Yourself 

We cannot give a one-size-fits-all answer here because everyone has their own personal preferences. After a long, busy, exhausting day, do something that uplifts you when you get home. Perhaps you make plans to partake in something like a 1,500-piece puzzle or have some friends over for a weekly book club meeting. If you need to go to the movies for a good laugh, play a video game, or paint on canvas, do just that! Look back to your childhood if you need some inspiration for activities that bring you joy. Just make sure to carve out time in your schedule to bring yourself a little joy. 

Do A Brief Workout

Working out in the evening to wind down? Yes, indeed! It seems like a controversial suggestion, but working out is a great way to get you out of your own way, returning the attention to your body. Don’t choose a particularly strenuous exercise; rather, a light to moderately intense workout will suffice. Choose your own adventure depending on how much energy you have. The idea is to switch from your work brain to your home brain, and ultimately reconnect with your body. If you find that you lack energy, try a low-intensity workout like walking or Tai Chi. Yoga or Pilates can be beneficial if you want to both stretch and strengthen your body. 

Take A Warm Bath Or Shower

Some may think that this suggestion is a bit cliché, but it is easy to implement into your evening routine. Not only does a warm bath or shower get you clean, but it also helps loosen up your muscles, clear your head, and set the tone for your evening wind down. Warm water is naturally relaxing, with studies showing that it elicits feelings of relaxation and relief from exhaustion. Plus, taking a warm shower or bath a couple hours before bedtime can help lower your body temperature, which better prepares you for sleep. 

Read A Book

Not only does reading a book give your eyes and brain a break from screens, but it is also an excellent way to relax. A great book provides you with a temporary escape from reality, and a good book can grip your attention for hours. You don’t have to read War and Peace, but you can peruse a few books of interest and choose based on the genre you enjoy. If you want to double your relaxation efforts, consider reading a book while enjoying a warm bath. Just make sure that you don’t drop the book in the tub! Lastly, don’t read right as you get into bed because you may only last a page or two before you doze off. 

Eat A Comforting Dinner

There is a difference between comfort food and a comforting meal. That said, if a slice of pizza is going to help you wind down after a long week, allow yourself the opportunity to indulge. Some people enjoy a bowl of warm soup or a recipe for banana bread that has been passed down through the family. If cooking after a long day is only going to cause stress, stop by your go-to restaurant and grab a meal from there. That’s a great way to kick off your evening!

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It’s a common occurrence to scroll through your phone until you are ready to go to sleep. Some people enjoy a few sessions of Candy Crush, while others like to peruse the Gram. No matter the phone activity, staring at a screen until you need to go to bed can lead to an inability to fall asleep. That’s why sleep experts say that it is imperative to create a screen-free bedtime routine. 

How can you avoid screens when they are so easily accessible? It’s very easy to unconsciously stare at your phone, answering emails, liking texts, and commenting on videos or pictures. Looking at your phone seems like a harmless habit, but staring at a screen stimulates the brain, delaying REM sleep. When the brain revs up in that way, it can keep you awake way past your normal bedtime. And if you can’t fall asleep? Well, you may just start scrolling through your phone again. 

How Your Phone Impacts Your Sleep

Smartphones make your life easier and they can be incredibly useful. They entertain you when you’re bored and serve as an informational source. The one major problem is that they are hard to put down because they are so amazing. They keep your mind engaged, stimulating your brain with information and light stimulation. The act of checking your phone stimulates the brain as much as the light does. The anticipation of that text chime or notification sound also inhibits your ability to relax and fall asleep. 

Some Content Can Cause Intense Emotions

If you fall asleep in a peaceful, relaxing setting, you will enter sleep in that way. When you engage with your phone too close to bedtime, it can negatively impact those positive feelings. Scrolling through social media can spark outrage or make you feel a certain way about yourself. The stress and anxiety that tend to accompany social media scrolling can easily disrupt sleep. Seeing something right before bed that makes you excited and happy is not conducive to sleep. That response delays REM sleep and you may just end up staring at the ceiling for hours. 

You Wake Up Feeling Groggy And Tired

Research indicates that screen time before bed can make you feel tired and groggy when you wake up in the morning. It’s almost as if your brain isn’t firing on all cylinders and energy levels are low. As previously mentioned, scrolling through TikTok or Instagram at night can open your mind to a whirlwind of emotions. When you cannot fall asleep easily, you get less sleep and the quality of your sleep isn’t as good after a scroll session. Lack of sleep causes decreased mental function and irritability, so you won’t be very productive as you go about your day. 

The Light From Your Phone Disrupts Sleep

The artificial color that your screen emits is blue light, which mimics daylight. Blue light is excellent during the day, as it signals your brain to make you feel more alert. You don’t want feelings of alertness when you are falling asleep, though. Looking at your phone until bedtime can suppress melatonin production. Melatonin is a hormone responsible for controlling your sleep-wake cycle. When the body is low on melatonin, you can experience insomnia and tiredness during the day. On top of all that, studies have shown that the blue light from your phone is also bad for your vision. In fact, an animal study found that blue light can be toxic to retina photosensitive cells, which are irreplaceable. More human studies are necessary, though.

Your Phone Keeps Your Mind Engaged

Checking your phone stimulates your brain. The last thing you need when you turn off the lights is more stimulation and information. Besides the alertness you get from the light of the screen, thinking about your phone and potential notifications keeps your brain on high alert. Each notification, especially if your phone lights up and distracts you from the darkness, jolts you out of potential sleep. Face your phone down and put it away from your pillow when going to bed for that reason.

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With the end of the year on the horizon, people are making their checklists of resolutions. Be it a six-pack by June or reading two books in four months, people love to crush New Year’s goals. The sad reality is that many people go back on their resolutions by February, especially in regards to weight loss. More often than not, people set themselves up for failure by making unattainable resolutions. This article provides resolutions you can actually accomplish in the New Year. 

New Year’s resolutions date back centuries. For many people, the New Year is a clean slate, a chance to start fresh. The key to accomplishing your goals is to be smart about it. Don’t set lofty goals that put too much pressure on you because that’s how you fail. You can prevent that from happening by setting small, achievable goals, like the ones below. Stay on track and believe that you can accomplish them!

Try One New Recipe Every Week

When you are completely exhausted, it’s difficult to conjure the energy to make a meal. You order takeout or pizza and pig out, which is understandable. Life can get in the way of cooking, but try to set a resolution to cook at least one new recipe per week. And if you can make that recipe a healthy one, that’s all the better. Statistically, people who cook at home more often save more money. In your acquisition of a new recipe each week, you can build your recipe catalog and cook more often!

Do One Thing To Help The Environment

The conversation about environmental change is ongoing, and it is on us to take action to help whenever and wherever possible. Since significant environmental changes are ahead, make a difference by doing one thing in 2023 to help out. Perhaps you start composting your kitchen scraps or recycling cardboard. Maybe you pick up trash on your street or participate in a beach cleanup. Nothing is too small and doing one little thing can help encourage a healthier future for the planet. 

Unplug At A Certain Time Each Day

This is easier said than done, but putting your devices away at a certain time before bed has a long list of health benefits. First off, when you don’t look at screens an hour or two before bed, you may be able to fall asleep easier. The blue light that emits from screens makes your brain think that it’s daytime, and it can also interfere with melatonin production. Instead of looking at screens until the moment you go to bed, try reading a book, stretching, or breathing exercises to help calm the mind and relax the body. 

Change Up Your Look

Losing weight and exercising are always in the top 10 most common New Year’s resolutions. Fitness resolutions tend to be short-lived because people want immediate results. Progress typically comes after weeks, not days, of consistent training and healthy eating. You can change up your look without shaving a few inches off your waistline. You can try a new hair color, switch up your personal style, or give your hair a little trim. Embrace bolder colors and don’t be afraid to wear outfits you’ve always wanted to pull off!

Get More Sleep

This sounds much easier than it actually is, but getting more sleep every night can benefit your overall health. Studies confirm that sleeping eight hours every night can increase productivity, boost immune function, improve mood, and potentially prevent weight gain. If you take the steps to improve sleep by going to bed earlier, reducing screen time, and meditating more often and still don’t see results, your mattress may be ruining your sleep. A new mattress may be the key to unlocking better sleep!

Accomplish One Small Thing Every Week

Resolutions don’t have to be life-changing events. Sometimes, it’s the little things that make you feel like you get more done in life. Clean out the change in the center console of your car or wash your car. Make a list of things that you need to accomplish and cross them off, in no particular order, when you do them. A small but impactful list can set you up for success, not failure. Just don’t make your list too long, or else it can be very overwhelming. Dust the blinds in the bedroom, clean under the couch, or re-pot your plants. 

Save A Small Percentage Of Your Paycheck

When you live from paycheck to paycheck, the temptation to splurge is strong when you see your bank account replenish. Impulsive purchases add up, though, no matter how affordable they seem at the time. Consider saving a portion of each paycheck in the New Year. Open up a Roth IRA account or a savings account and deposit $50 to $100 every month. Another way to save money is by making coffee at home instead of going out to get it everyday. This adds up and saves you money over time.

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Everyone knows that darker days and colder weather can put a damper on mood and energy levels. This is especially true if you spend the majority of your day inside an office. You leave your house, enjoy natural sunlight on your work commute, and then you get off work in darkness. Plus, the combination of colder weather and darkness doesn’t necessarily inspire you to spend more time outdoors. You are more likely to enjoy most of your time on a couch, so long as you aren’t out shopping for gifts and food. 

Daylight serves several purposes in regards to your health. It can help maintain a healthy circadian rhythm, which is your natural sleep-wake cycle. You rise with the sun and you go to bed after sundown. The body produces natural hormones in this cycle, but they can be affected by excessive screen time. With shorter days, though, what can you do to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm? Health experts advise you to make the most of your sunlight during shorter days. To learn how to do that, continue reading. 

Take A Morning Walk

Even though the sun sets between four and five in the evening, mornings are not completely dark. The average sunrise time is in the six o’clock hour, so you can take a neighborhood stroll before heading out for work. Morning sunlight hits the melanopsin receptors in your eyes, and these blue light detectors communicate to your brain that it is daytime. The body starts to produce hormones and neurotransmitters that help wake you up for the day. Natural blue light from the sun is a key ingredient that influences your sleep-wake cycle. It also helps to boost alertness, elevate your mood, and regulate natural sleep. A walk in the morning, then, may help you start the day in a more relaxed way because it isn’t the same as staring at a screen first thing in the morning. Taking a morning walk is especially easy if you need to take your dog for a walk. 

Wear Sunglasses When You Really Need Them

If the sun gets in your eyes and it is very difficult to see, please put on your sunglasses. We don’t want you walking or driving in a constant squint, as that may accelerate the development of wrinkles. Wearing sunglasses every single second of the day, however, may block some of the natural light and interfere with your internal clock. And while blue light glasses are beneficial to wear when you are in front of a screen, you shouldn’t wear them outside. Natural blue light from the sun isn’t something to worry about, no matter how fashionable you look wearing blue light glasses. Blue light is not the problem because blue and red light are balanced. The lack of red light from devices is the real issue!

Leave The Office For Lunch

Even the busiest people can afford a short break during the workday. Stepping outside during your lunch has been shown to reduce fatigue and improve productivity. This is especially true for people who go for walks on their breaks. Even if you only go outside for 15 minutes on your lunch break, you can get a dose of mood-boosting sunlight that you would miss if you remained in the office. Although sitting next to a window can be helpful, it isn’t the same as heading outside. In fact, going for a walk outside on your break can help increase energy levels leading into the remainder of the workday. 

Open A Window During Your Commute

If you aren’t able to take a morning walk or get outside during your lunch break, the least you could do is crack your window on your way to work. The main thing is to allow natural light to fill your space. Light will come through even if you just crack a window a small amount. And if it is too cold to crack open a window on your commute to work, open the blinds on a window near your workspace. If you don’t sit or work near any windows, try your best to get outside at some points during the day, just so you can acquaint yourself with the outside world.

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You’ve been looking forward to climbing into bed and falling asleep all day. As the day comes to a close, you brush your teeth, wash your face, and put on your pajamas. You turn off the lights and as soon as your head hits the pillow, you are wide awake. It’s as if the feelings of tiredness vanish immediately and falling asleep seems impossible. This is frustrating, to say the least, and it leaves you with one question: Why is this happening?

It is common to feel slightly wired when you should be winding down, according to neuroscientists. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to why that happens, though. If someone is a great sleeper, they probably fall asleep when they get into bed each night. The act of getting into bed triggers a response of sleepiness. If your nights tend to be restless and sleepless, though, the body tends to associate that behavior with climbing into bed.

Psychophysiological insomnia, as the experts call it, perpetuates a cycle of sleeplessness every night. In order to escape this cycle, many behavioral experts suggest cognitive behavioral therapy. The primary takeaway is that the bed is for sleeping, first and foremost. You can still, of course, have sex in bed, but it’s best to move other activities or actions elsewhere. No screen time or lying around aimlessly in bed. Re-train your brain and you may find that falling asleep is much easier. In the meantime, the following reasons may contribute to your restlessness as soon as you lay your head to rest. 

Too Much Napping

Naps are not detrimental to your overall health. In fact, napping for the right amount of time can have several benefits. The wrong nap strategy, however, can ruin your nighttime Zzz’s. According to research, long naps or napping too late in the day can make it more difficult to fall asleep at night. Additionally, you may experience difficulty falling asleep, poor sleep, or you may wake up throughout the night. Keep your naps 20-30 minutes long and aim to nap before 3 p.m. 

You’re Anxious Or Depressed

The link between mental health troubles and sleep troubles is very strong. Both anxiety and depression can induce feelings of fatigue or sluggishness, but they can also cause racing thoughts. An inability to quiet the mind can make it very difficult to fall asleep. Some studies suggest that sleep disturbance is a diagnostic symptom for some anxiety disorders. With anxiety, racing thoughts may relate to future concerns, while depressive thoughts may relate to past regrets. Either way, these thoughts keep you from falling asleep. 

The Brain Equates Bed With Being Awake

The bed is a space for sleeping, but many people have additional nighttime activities that they do in bed. Some people spend late hours working in their bed, especially with the work-from-home craze that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. Others watch TV or scroll through social media in bed, and these habits cause the brain to associate arousal with getting into bed. When you want to go to sleep, the brain becomes alert because that is what it’s used to. 

Your Device Revs You Up

A quick check on the Gram or one last email before shuteye may not seem like a big deal, but it is. Using electronic devices within 30 minutes of bedtime leads to significantly poorer sleep quality, according to a 2021 study. The glow of the screen emits blue light, which can delay the release of melatonin, a sleep-promoting hormone. Reduced melatonin production can throw off the body’s internal clock and make it more difficult to fall asleep at a reasonable time. 

Caffeine

People love their caffeinated beverages, almost too much at times. Consuming 200 milligrams of caffeine (about 16 ounces of coffee) six hours before bedtime can cut your sleep time by an hour. If you are more sensitive to caffeine, a 7:00 a.m. cup of coffee may make it difficult to fall asleep at night, according to a 2018 study. Some people also reach for an afternoon pick-me-up without thinking of afternoon consequences. Caffeine has a half-life of five hours, so drinking a cup 16 hours before bed can impact your sleep. 

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