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It’s late AF. You told yourself you’d call it one an hour ago, but that was before you opened Twitter and got lost in the Oddly Satisfying abyss of back-to-back soap slicing videos.
Listen: that 5 a.m. run isn’t gonna happen on its own. And even if you can drag yourself out of bed, sh*t certainly won’t be going down if you’re too tired to even lace up your Brooks. So how do you go about copping those much-needed zZz’s? You’ve probably heard this already, but put down your damn phone, fam.
“It is believed that sleep is a restorative process and a basic biologic need,” Dr. Neil Kline—sleep physician, internist and American Sleep Association rep—told CNN last year. “When animals, including humans, are deprived of sleep, there are many body systems that fail. Not only does our performance, memory and attention span suffer, our immune system and endocrine system is also impaired.”
Additionally, studies have found that smartphone use around bedtime is generally linked to longer times falling asleep and poor sleep quality overall. Did you know that a lack of sleep can kill you? *Shudders*
We don’t want that for you, so here are a few things you can do before bed instead of creeping on shorty’s Instagram page—again.
Schedule a Reminder
“Hey, Siri: Set a reminder to get my ass in bed by 10.” Boom. We live in an age where technology has made it simple keep ourselves organized, so use it to your advantage. On a gadget purge? Leave notes around your crib. Lay the next day’s fit in a visible place to remind you to rest up. Anything that will help you hold yourself accountable.
Drink Some Tea
According to Healthline, 30 percent people suffer from insomnia, “the chronic inability to fall asleep, stay asleep or achieve restorative, high-quality sleep.” If you fall into this category, or you just find it difficult to relax knowing what lies ahead the next day, try heating up a calming cup. Tea’s been a natural sleep aid for a minute, and there’s literally a brew for everything. If you’re unsure where to start, that Yogi Soothing Caramel Bedtime Tea is fire, and it’ll have you knocked in no time.
Read a Book
Perhaps you’re one of those folks who can’t go to sleep without a good text. Bet. Cracking open a book is actually said to combat insomnia because it engages the mind and allows the body to zen out, so do turn those pages, but be sure to ditch the bright screen.
Hit Your Best Shavasana
Yoga will get you right, tight, and mellow as hell, which is why some folks find it helps to roll out the mat before bedtime. If you’ve never done it before, we know it can be intimidating, but no one’s asking you to master a one-handed tree pose. If you’re unsure of where to start, just hit up Men’s Journal’s beginner’s guide for all the motivation you need. You’ll wonder why you didn’t try it sooner.
Filter the Blue Light
If you can’t part with your tablet, phone or computer, say, for work reasons, we get it. “Try a filter that blocks blue light,” HuffPost recommends. “There’s an app for Android that produces this effect, though you’ll have to purchase a physical filter for your iOS device.” If you’re using a computer, they recommend F.lux. It’s a software plug-in that helps your computer adjust to the time of day so your eyes aren’t strained and you can still get the rest you need.
