How much sleep do you get on a regular basis? If your nutrition and activity levels are where you want them to be, but you still don’t feel or look the way you want, poor sleep may be partially to blame.

Good quality sleep helps us to think lucidly, make good decisions, perform at a higher level and aids in properly digesting food we eat. Seven hours is the minimum amount of sleep needed to keep your risk of health problems in check. Unfortunately, more than one third of adults get fewer than 7 hours of sleep each night. This does not include the millions of people who over-estimate how much sleep they’re getting, or whose sleep quality is poor because of seemingly unrelated lifestyle factors.

There are a few signs that your sleep habits are not working for you. 1) Is your mind foggy? When we lack sleep, we have reduced alertness and concentration, confusion, impaired judgment and forgetfulness. 2) Are you unhappy? Sleep produces fresh neurotransmitters and regulates hormone production. Lack of sleep impairs the regulation of emotions, heightens stress, causes mood swings, and can possibly increase the risk of depression. 3) Are you getting sick a lot? When we don’t get enough sleep our T-cells go down and inflammation goes up. This leads to increased vulnerability to viruses and bacteria, acute risk of sickness and increased risk of heart disease and other inflammation-related illnesses. 4) Are you struggling with weight gain? Poor sleep is linked to excess body fat. Lack of sleep disrupts appetite regulation, causes one to feel hungrier and leads to increased calorie intake (snacking). Excess body fat in turn reduces sleep quality. 5) Do your activities or workouts feel too difficult? Our body uses sleep as an opportunity to refresh neurotransmitter levels and remove energy-draining metabolites. Less than adequate sleep can decrease central nervous system activity, slow reaction time, lower energy and endurance capacity, depress mood and reduce the desire to exercise.

How do we get high-quality sleep? It starts in the morning. Wake up at the right time. That means waking up during a light sleep state. If you feel groggy, consider a device or app that senses sleep cycles and awakens you at an optimal point. Sunshine helps raise cortisol. Let the sun shine in when you are waking up! It is also helpful to get up and moving right away. Sit up and put your feet on the floor rather than hitting snooze. Be aware of your caffeine or alcohol consumption after 2:00 p.m. This can interfere with deep sleep. Regular exercise is also good and helps normalize your 24-hour clock. Eat a small to medium dinner. Too much food can make it harder to fall asleep. Find a pattern and try to get to bed around the same time and wake up the same time. An optimal goal is to get at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.

Additional quick tips for improving sleep: Turn off electronics at least 30 minutes before bed. Artificial light interferes with our production of melatonin, which aids deep sleep and may help regulate metabolism. De-Stress – reading, meditating, stretching, yoga, and walking can release tension and activate calming chemicals. Take a bath or shower to help relax or de-stress. Create a relaxing sleep area where it is quiet, peaceful, and relatively organized. Adjust your room to an appropriate temperature and make the room as dark as possible! Here’s to BETTER sleep for balanced health! Regular movement, eating well, sleep and stress management help us look and feel better!