SURPRISING WAYS TO ENJOY BETTER SLEEP

You probably think you’ve already tried every remedy there is, but we think there are still some surprising ways to enjoy better sleep that you haven’t heard of yet.

In a pre-pandemic world, the CDC found that around 35% of American adults are getting less than 7 hours of sleep on a regular basis. That same mid-pandemic statistic has risen to 40% of American adults being sleep deprived regularly, according to a recent study.

Forty-percent is a huge chunk of our population, and as doctors have been telling us for forever, having enough high-quality sleep is crucial to us living long healthy lives. According to the FFC about 94% of us have regular internet access, which means most of us have probably researched tips for getting to sleep until the wee hours of the night already.

Since the internet is the gift that keeps on giving, there’s a seemingly endless string of sleep remedies to try. We’re here to give you a few ways to enjoy better sleep that might actually surprise you.

SLEEP IN A COLD ROOM

Surely you’ve seen one of your friends, family, or an influencer jump into an ice bath or a frozen lake a few times. Heck, there are even organized clubs that encourage winter bathing - like the Coney Island Polar Bear Club that was founded in 1903.

The origins and perceived benefits of different cold therapies date way back and span the globe. In Norway and Sweden it’s commonplace for parents to stick their babies outside in the cold to sleep during winter! It’s believed to make the baby healthier.

It might sound crazy, but according to science, that thinking isn’t too far off. While we’re not here today to convince you to jump in a frozen lake for your health, scientists do believe that a cool room between 60 and 67 degrees is the best sleeping temperature. Too much warmer or cooler and you’ll toss and turn all night without ever getting the deep restorative sleep you need.

Why would the temperature matter though? The theory behind this is that the body’s temperature naturally drops at night when melatonin production picks up. Melatonin is what the body releases to signal to your body that it’s time to rest. By lowering the temperature in the room, you’re signaling to your body that it’s time to sleep and your body will produce more melatonin.

WEAR A BIOFREQUENCY PATCH TO BED

This one may be surprising to those who don’t study quantum physics closely (which is probably almost everyone). After major scientific strides in biofrequency research, scientists discovered how to interact with the human body’s natural energy field to bring it back into a natural state of harmony. In science they call this state homeostasis and the researchers at BioActivate developed a small wearable patch that can restore it. Here’s how.

When the body is in homeostasis, each organ and cell has a certain vibrational frequency or harmony to it. When there is discomfort in the body such as difficulty sleeping, a sluggish immune system, chronic pain, or a lack of mental focus, the body is in a state of vibrational disharmony.

In order to reap the benefits of the BioActivate Deep Sleep patch, all you have to do is place the patch on one shoulder, forearm, or foot when you’re ready to go to bed. Before you know it, you’ll be on your way to dreamland.

GIVE SLEEPING IN THE BUFF A TRY

Yes, you read that right. Sleeping au naturel can make for a better night’s sleep! Of course, only try this if your living situation is appropriate for it.

But seriously, we aren’t making this up. Despite science showing that sleeping naked not only leads to better sleep by lowering your body temperature, it also shows that sleeping unclad raises your metabolism to boot.

This means you could sleep more deeply, wake up less during the night, and even lose weight all by sleeping nude! So far, surveys show that only 17% of Americans sleep fully naked compared to over 23% of people in the UK and Ireland.

Apparently our friends across the pond have been ahead of the curve in this department when it comes to high quality sleep, but that’s changing fast. In America, each generation is warming up to the idea more and more with 39% of Baby Boomers, 45% of Gen X’ers, and almost 65% of Millenials donning their birthday suits to bed.

ONLY USE YOUR BED FOR SLEEP

Yes, that means no more late night TV, breakfasts in bed, crosswords, or even reading. Gasp - even reading? Yes, even reading should be taken to a different spot in your home! Here’s why.

Our brains are magnificent and can learn things without us even being aware of it. Repeated activities create neural pathways in the brain that allow your body to function on a type of autopilot. This means your body can have certain reactions to certain stimuli automatically when exposed to something repeatedly over time.

For example, when you use your bed for things other than sleep regularly, it then subconsciously trains you not to feel sleepy when you get into bed. Your brain is like, “Hey, I’m in bed wide awake and ready for my sudoku and ice cream cake now!” These behaviors on a regular basis can actually cause a type of chronic sleep disturbance called bed-confusion insomnia!

By limiting bed activities to only sleeping (and maybe sex too), it instead trains the subconscious brain to associate being in bed with sleep. Then you’ll automatically start to get sleepy when you get into bed, rather than becoming more alert to do all of those fun activities. Seems like a small sacrifice to make for a big payoff!