Spring is coming. And so is daylight saving time for most U.S. states. In the spring, we move our clocks forward an hour, losing an hour of much-needed sleep. You know the saying, “spring forward, fall back”.
This year, the dreaded day for many is Sunday, March 8, 2020. Appropriately enough, it’s also the kick-off of Sleep Awareness Week, which lasts through March 14, 2020, with World Sleep Day occurring on March 13, 2020.
What Is Sleep Awareness Week?
Hosted by the National Sleep Foundation, Sleep Awareness Week was created to celebrate sleep, and remind everyone of the importance of prioritizing sleep for better health and overall wellness.
To kick off Sleep Awareness Week, the National Sleep Foundation will release results from its yearly poll on the state of Sleep in America — so be on the lookout for that. Each year has a theme, though the 2020 theme for Sleep Awareness Week has not yet been announced.
Why Is Sleep Awareness Week Important?
Sleep Awareness Week is an important week for Americans who understand that we need more sleep, and absolutely want more sleep, yet continue to fail to prioritize sleep. It’s a not-so-subtle reminder to all Americans that getting sufficient sleep impacts more than how you feel.
Over time, people who consistently get too little sleep will experience significant declines in health, mental acuity, and emotional wellbeing. Prolonged sleep deprivation has been closely linked to a variety of health conditions, including
- Obesity
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart disease
- Depression
- High blood pressure
The purpose of Sleep Awareness Week is to help Americans put their health first by getting sufficient sleep for one week to see what a difference it can make for their health and spirits.
How Can You Celebrate?
The best way to celebrate Sleep Awareness Week is by getting into the spirit of things, and getting the proper amount of sleep at night. There are all kinds of techniques you can try to help you achieve that goal, including things like:
- Improve your sleep hygiene. No, it’s not about taking a bath before going to bed, though that could certainly be part of it. This sleep hygiene is about creating a bedtime routine that signals your brain and your body that it should be winding down for the night.
- Keep a consistent bedtime and wake time. Even on the weekend. Just as humans love routines, so do human brains and body. Keeping the timing consistent allows you to fall into a routine over time where your brain knows it’s time to go to sleep and wake up at certain times.
- Remove electronics from your bedroom.This eliminates the temptation to check one more email, watch one more program, or even to play one more game, allowing your mind to shut down and focus on sleep. And, it helps remove blue light from the equation, which is helpful, since blue light can delay the release of sleep-inducing melatonin.
- Keep your room cool and dark.This powerful combination helps you snuggle under your covers for the good night’s sleep you deserve.
If these things don’t work for you right away, consider supplementing your sleep with brief daytime naps, especially on March 9, 2020, which also happens to be World Napping Day!
Of course, you don’t have to wait until Sleep Awareness Week to get to work on your sleep needs. There’s no better time than the present to begin working on your bedtime routine to improve sleep and build your health. The tips above can help any time of the year. And, sleeping on a latex mattress from Latex For Less, will take your sleep to a whole new level!
