A lot of Americans are feeling stressed out by the election and it’s even keeping some of us up at night. According to research from the American Psychological Association, 25% of adults are losing sleep over the presidential election, which some sleep experts have dubbed “electsomnia.”
While today is Election Day, that stress might not melt away as soon as you cast your ballot, but there are some simple steps you can take to get better sleep starting tonight. These are the top three tips sleep doctors and experts recommend for a good night’s rest.
- Add these 5 melatonin-rich foods to your daily diet - Melatonin is a popular sleep aid that can signal to your body that it’s time to go to sleep. But you can also get melatonin from foods, which is what Shelby Harris, a clinical psychologist and director of sleep health at Sleepopolis recommends before reaching for supplements. Foods that are naturally high in melatonin include:
- Nuts, especially walnuts
- Fish, especially salmon
- Eggs
- Tart cherries
- Cow’s milk
- Figure out how many hours of sleep YOU need - We’ve all heard that eight hours is the amount of sleep everyone is supposed to get, but here’s the thing - not everyone needs the same amount to feel rested. Harris explains that there's a range between seven to nine hours, but sometimes as little as six. “It doesn’t have to be that magic eight,” she says, adding that you won’t feel rested every single morning “because that’s unrealistic.” And if you need some encouragement, Harris reveals that even as a sleep doctor, she doesn’t sleep perfectly every night.
- Avoid “social jet lag” - Experts agree that consistency is key to getting a good night’s rest, which means going to bed and waking up at around the same time every day. Sleep physician Dr. Abhinav Singh calls that “the most important thing” you can do to improve sleep. While lots of us go to bed late and sleep in on the weekends, which is known as “social jet lag,” it can throw off your circadian rhythm and that’s not great for sleep.
Source: CNBC