Super Eco

Photo credit: peasap, flickr

Sleep is becoming an increasingly precious commodity in the 21st century. In the age of the 24-hour news cycle and sunlight-imitating bulbs, it's easier to stay up later and wake up earlier. Despite the technologically advanced age we live in, our bodies still need fulfilling, restful sleep, about seven to eight hours a night to be exact.

Fortunately, there are some simple and effective things we can do to ensure that we get that much needed sack time. Liz Vaccariello at Yahoo! Shine has some specific tips on how to avoid insomnia. Some of these seem like no-brainers, but others may be somewhat surprising:

• Don't drink alcohol to make yourself tired. Alcohol-induced sleep is not of the best quality.
• Don't consume caffeine in the late afternoon or evening.
• Keep your bedroom cool, but not cold. Your body cools down during sleep, so try to keep your room at around 65 degrees if you can.
• Don't eat large meals late at night. This raises your body temperature which prevents a restful sleep atmosphere.
• Keep your schedule consistent.

This last one seems to be the hardest part for most of us. I frequently make do with five or six hours a night during the week and try to catch up on the weekend. According to sleep researchers, however, keeping a fairly consistent schedule is essential to regulating your body and making the sleep you get more worthwhile. Though Yahoo! Shine has a seemingly endless flow of poetic content and quality writers, the sleep advice is some of the most potent and concise I've found online. Hopefully I can make the necessary changes in my own life. No sleeping in on weekends or drinking late at night? This could be harder than I thought.