better rest

How to Calculate Your Bedtime

Targeting Your Ideal Bedtime Creating your ideal bedtime significantly increases the chances you’ll get both the quantity and the quality of sleep you need. You may be unsure about the right bedtime, but you’re likely to know exactly what your wake time needs to be. That’s because most people have what I call a socially determined wake up time. There is some external commitment—caring for a child, getting ready for work or school, getting the dog outside—that dictates when we must wake and begin our day. Most of us do not have a wake time that is wholly within our control. Bedtime, on the other hand, offers us much more discretion and freedom. In order to set your ideal bedtime, you’ll start by using your wake time. Sleep Goals In creating a nightly sleep routine and an ideal bedtime, you’re working to meet a couple fundamental sleep goals: getting enough sleep, and making sure it is high-quality rest. My two-part sleep calculator will help you do both. This simple sleep calculator uses information about your sleep cycle to get sufficient rest, maintain healthy circadian and sleep-wake rhythms, and wake naturally feeling refreshed and ready to begin your day. Ideal Bedtime Sleep Calculator This formula tackles sleep quantity. The only information you need is your wake-up time. Here’s how it works: The average sleep cycle is 90 minutes long A typical night of sleep includes 5 full sleep cycles 90 x 5 = 450 minutes, or 7.5 hours Starting at your wake time, work back 7.5 hours to find your bedtime For example: You need to wake at 6 a.m. to get ready for work. Counting back 7.5 hours, your ideal bedtime is 10:30 p.m. That means lights out, in bed, ready for sleep at that time. This bedtime is a starting point, and may need some adjustment, as individual sleep cycles vary in their duration. Try your new bedtime for a week. The goal is to wake naturally about 5-10 minutes ahead of your alarm. If you find yourself waking significantly ahead of your alarm, move your bedtime slightly later. If after a week, you’re still sleeping right through to your alarm, you need to shift your bedtime earlier. Do so in 15-minute increments until you’re waking naturally just before your alarm. Not Just More Sleep, But Better The Ideal Bedtime sleep calculator takes care of sleep quantity. But what about sleep quality? Sleep quality is achieved by sustained rest, with sufficient time spent in each of the four sleep stages—Stages 1-3 and REM sleep—to maintain physical and mental health and function. Sleep efficiency is one important measure of sleep quality used by sleep scientists and physicians. There’s an easy, low-tech way to measure sleep efficiency that requires no sleep tracking devices or equipment. You need only a few basic pieces of information about your night of sleep: The total amount of time you spend in bed sleeping—or trying to sleep—between bedtime and waking How long it takes you to fall asleep The amount of time you spent awake during the night Let’s say you spent a total of 7 hours, or 420 minutes, in bed last night. It took you 25 minutes to fall asleep. You spent another 25 minutes awake throughout the night, a result of three separate periods of wakefulness. Here’s how to calculate your sleep efficiency for this night: Total sleep time: 420 minutes Minus time to fall asleep: 25 minutes Minus total time spent awake: 25 minutes Actual time spent sleeping: 370 minutes (6 hours, 10 minutes) Divide 370 minutes by 420 minutes = 88%. This number represents your sleep efficiency for that night. In sleep science, we consider 85% or higher a healthy sleep efficiency and a reasonable goal. Ninety percent is considered a very good sleep efficiency. If your number isn’t quite there yet, don’t be discouraged. With attention to your sleep—and a new bedtime—you’ll see this important number start to rise.

Relax and Get Better Sleep Gift Guide

Nutritious Life is making holiday shopping effortless this year. We have handpicked (and tested so you can shop stress free) the healthiest, most practical and inspiring items for every area of your life. We have something for everyone on your list. We’ll help you (and your loved ones) get better sleep, relax, cook up healthy and delicious meals, sparkle with self-care, and simply be more joyful! Getting quality sleep is essential and impacts every part of your life. Sleep supports your immune system, helps you make smarter food choices, have the energy for all the things you need to do at home, and it will likely boost your mood too. So, why not give a gift that will help your loved one snooze soundly. Here’s our favorite things to help get cozy, relax and have sweet dreams. Binge Watching Pillow (Yes! It’s a Thing!) We’ve all been doing our share of binge watching Netflix. All that time on the couch isn’t good for our bodies. HoMedics just launched the “Yes, I’m Still Watching” massage pillow that will soothe your muscles while watching Schitt’s Creek for the 10th time. The limited-edition “Yes, I’m Still Watching Pillow” takes care of your body by promoting muscle stimulation while laying or sitting. Use it as a pillow for the neck, back, and shoulders, or place it under your legs for a convenient massage for your thighs, calves, and feet. Homedics “Yes I’m Still Watching” massage pillow, $80 A Calming Plant Studies show that having plants in your home can have a positive effect on your mood, reduce stress and improve air quality. Plants like lavender, jasmine, and gardenia have been shown to bring calm and help people sleep. Plus, they look so pretty in your room. Bloomscape will send gorgeous fully grown, potted plants delivered right to your loved one—no mess, no hassle. We love this little lavender pot, but there are countless options to choose from. Bloomscape Lavender Pot, $35 Create a Bedding Oasis When it comes to choosing your bedding, it can be really hard to find the right duvet cover. So many colors, fabrics and styles to consider. So when we found Yaya + Co’s reversible, organic, and all natural linen duvet cover, we were hooked! Linen fabric also has an antimicrobial quality and healing properties. This means it suppresses all microbes including bacteria, fungi and pollen. In fact linen helps prevent many allergic disorders, reduces the risk of inflammatory conditions and aids in effective respiration as well. Yaya + Co. – Sofia Reversible Organic Belgian Flax Linen Duvet Cover, $249 Give a Bedtime Ritual We all know a wind down routine is a huge help in getting great sleep. This super cute bath gift set will help you get relaxed stat. It includes everything you need for a relaxing bath—and we love the spearmint and eucalyptus ceramic candle. A great gift for your bestie. Knack Herbivore Calm Experience Gift Set, $97 Snuggle in the Car We love to shop small, but this is definitely a big, cozy gift! As we travel to see loved ones this holiday season, we want to keep our littles safe (and warm!). Birdy Boutique’s carseat poncho is crash tested, CPSIA compliant, and so much safer than wearing a bulky coat in the car seat—plus they work as a reversible hooded blanket all year long! They have a ton of designs—lumberjack plaids, sherpa puffer, deer fawn, camouflage, flower mermaids, unicorn, cupcakes and even faux fur! Car Seat Fleece Hooded Blanket Ponchos, $30 Stress-Relieving Snuggle Blanket This blanket will help you sleep better while also helping the earth. Made from upcycled, earth-friendly Eco-velvet, Bearaby Velvet Napper is made of recycled marine plastic that’s turned into a versatile thread that’s soft and sustainable. You can sleep soundly, knowing that each blanket produced is made from 900 plastic bottles that would otherwise pollute our oceans. Bearaby Weighted Blanket, $269 The Best Sheets…Ever Sleep in these sheets and we bet you will agree, they are hands down the softest, most luxurious sheets you’ve slept on. The 100 percent bamboo makes them cooling as they are naturally moisture-wicking and thermal-regulating to help keep you stay cooler in the summer & warmer in the winter. They come in a four-piece set including one fitted sheet, one flat sheet, and two pillowcases. Luxome Bamboo Sheets, $129 (on sale from $189 for holiday) A Cute Way to Keep The Light Away Research has shown that it’s best to sleep in a dark room (with the phone removed of course). So, if your room has unavoidable light creeping in, a silk eye mask is a great sleep accessory. This one from Los Angeles Trading Co. is cute and comfy. Los Angeles Trading Co. Dreamer Eye Mask, $24 The Mattress for Everyone What’s a better present than the gift of sweet dreams? Spoon Sleep supports all sleep positions ranging from back and stomach sleepers, side sleepers and even couples with different sleep positions. Seriously, this mattress has great support (we tried it!). Plus, they get delivered in a box straight to your door, so you can send it directly to your loved one. Spoon Sleep Mattress, starting at $1,299. Get Cozy on the Couch Movie night just got cozier. Farm to Home’s chunky throw is super soft and looks great on your couch. Plus, it’s 100 percent organic cotton, and Global Organic Textile certified (OTCO). Farm to Home 100% Organic Cotton Chunky Throw $50 A Calming Oasis A pretty piece of decor and added sleep inducing bonus? Genius! Adding a diffuser to an evening routine will help to set the mood for relaxation. Lavender or chamomile essential oils will help calm you and allow for a more restful night sleep. Plus, the CHI diffuser doubles as a night light. CHI Egyptian Aromatherapy Ultrasonic Essential Oil Diffuser, $25 Quiet the Noise Set the perfect mood for sleep and relaxation with the patented Wave Sleep Therapy Sound Machine. It has six different high-fidelity sound settings so you