Recovering from a bad night's sleep
If you -- like 84 million of your fellow Americans -- frequently get only fair or poor-quality sleep, it's time to turn back the clock on the health risks associated with sleep problems. They include difficulty with short-term memory and hand-eye coordination; trouble with alertness and the ability to learn; moodiness; and a significantly increased risk of car crashes and on-the-job accidents.
You've probably heard that sticking with a uniform to-bed time seven days a week and making sure your bedroom is cool, dark, quiet, and free of digital devices is essential for achieving quality sleep. But here are some other ways to get the rest you need to be your youngest, healthiest, happiest self.
Get some sun. Go outside first thing in the morning and at lunchtime for 10-15 minutes to help stabilize your internal sleep-wake clock.
Enjoy yoga, tai chi, walking or running. It can dispel stress (a major sleep disrupter) and increase the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. Another perk: The rise in body temperature associated with exercise actually promotes becoming cooler afterward, which makes it easier to feel sleepy. But don't work out close to bedtime. You want to give brain-stimulating neurotransmitter levels, elevated by exercise, a couple of hours to fall before you head to bed.
Don't take long naps to compensate. A quick snooze of 20-30 minutes will refresh. Any longer makes it harder to go to sleep that night. Check out my Substack on cat naps at michaelfroizenmd.substack.com/p/cat-naps.
Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.longevityplaybook.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at questions@longevityplaybook.com.
(c)2023 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2025 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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