Turn Your Next Trip Into a Sleep Retreat: The Latest Trend in Health and Wellness

If you’re craving a getaway that involves some serious snooze time, a sleep retreat may be the indulgence you’re searching for. One of the latest trends in health and wellness, sleep retreats are sanctuaries that focus on guiding guests on improving their sleep quality. These package deals are hosted by upscale spas and hotels and come with doctor-designed sleep and lifestyle itineraries. They’re created to invigorate extra-fatigued patrons by teaching them the delicate art of sleep in order to repair poor slumber habits. The Stats on Sleep According to the American Sleep Association, approximately 50 to 70 million adults in the U.S. have a sleep disorder. Insomnia tops the list affecting roughly 30% of adults on a short-term basis while 10% suffer from chronic insomnia. As a whole, 35% of American adults report getting less than seven hours of shut-eye on a typical night. This is considered insufficient sleep. Too many consistent nights of reduced quality of sleep can lead to sleep deprivation. This results in numerous health complications, including hormonal imbalances, cardiovascular conditions and a weakened immune system. In fact, a paper published in the scientific, peer-reviewed journal Healthcare reports that insufficient sleep is a global public health epidemic. The Sleep Foundation recommends that adults up to the age of 64 get anywhere between seven to nine hours of sleep each night while those 65 and older are advised to keep their head on the pillow for seven to eight hours. Why Sleep Retreats Are on the Rise “Sleep is a big deal these days,” says Michael J. Breus, Ph.D., “The Sleep Doctor” who is a clinical psychologist and both a Diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine and a Fellow of The American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “Since COVID began, everyone wants to learn how to sleep better.” While Dr. Breus thinks that a sleep retreat is “a perfect place for education, due to less distractions, less stress and more interest in health,” you should keep in mind that some destinations that claim to be sleep retreats are not quite “legitimate.” “The experience will vary from place to place and really depends upon if the resort or property is involving a sleep doctor,” says Dr. Breus. “There are many people calling themselves ‘sleep specialists’ who have no advanced degrees and give ‘guidelines’ that have little to no value.” Furthermore, some packages labeled as “sleep programs” are simply offering relaxation services, such as massage and reflexology. “To be clear, the objective is better sleep,” he states. “In fact, the data would suggest that doing a massage before bed is not particularly sleep-inducing, but more relaxing. Again, not really sleep-focused.” Top Sleep Retreats If following a Dr. Breus-approved sleep-enhancement program in a blissful environment sounds like paradise, then check out these four luxurious destinations: Six Senses in Ibiza (Image: Senses Ibiza) The Sleep Wellness Program on this small Spanish island in the western Mediterranean combines advice from a sleep physician with yoga, meditation, cryotherapy and other treatments. Over the course of three, five or seven nights, guests can expect a personal consultation, wellness screening and gift bag of sleep amenities. Their sleep will also be tracked throughout the stay. Plus, this exotic resort accommodates only 137 guests and serves locally-grown, farm-fresh food and beverages. “This is an excellent program created by a world-renowned sleep specialist,” says Dr. Breus. “It has multiple aspects, including room amenities, specific mattresses, education and a sleep ambassador who has been trained by a sleep doctor to help educate guests. This is the best of the bunch by far.” Average Price Per Person: $510 for 3 nights, $730 for 5 nights, $1,070 for 7 nights Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort in Sri Lanka (Image: Anantara) The Deep Sleep Ayurveda Program begins with a technology blackout. This is followed by an evaluation with an ayurvedic doctor and a personal dosha record. The lush resort promises deep sleep with the aid of an in-person “Slumber Guru” ritual and other soothing treatments. These include acupuncture and a shirodhara treatment (which involves warm oil drizzled on the forehead and massaged in specific patterns from the right to left temple, followed by a scalp manipulation). The schedule also includes calming activities such as visiting a pottery village, kayaking in a lagoon, spending time in a Buddhist temple and dining while overlooking a large coconut plantation by the Indian Ocean. “This program offers a visit with an ayurvedic doctor and a night with a Slumber Guru experience,” says Dr. Breus. “While I have no idea what this means, this plan seems to fall within the basic ideas of ayurveda sleep practices. Therefore, it feels a bit more authentic for that cultural experience.” Average Price Per Person: $820 for 5 nights Longevity Health & Wellness Hotel in Portugal (Image: Alvor) The Longevity Sleep Optimization program is a seven-night experience that aims to help guests regain sleep quality. It does this by offering a sleep apnea check-up and multiple integrative health exams. These include things like a physical, plus nutritional, fitness, heavy metal and cardiovascular evaluations. Tranquil therapies include a personal training session, yoga, massage therapy, guided meditation, energetic healing therapy and craniosacral therapy. The icing on the cake is the panoramic views of the bay of Alvor from this secluded hotel in Portimão. “This one actually has some sleep-related activities and there appears to be a sleep apnea screening,” says Dr. Breus. “It’s also very expensive!” Average Price Per Person: $3,780 for the 7-night program only (price does not include resort accommodations) Preidlhof Luxury DolceVita Resort in Italy (Image: Preidlhof) A seven-day journey at the spa hotel in the South Tyrol province in northeast Italy starts with a sleep analysis and heart health session. It continues with a heated quartz and sound treatment and a body therapy treatment (which releases emotional blocks, anxiety, and imbalances). Finally, guests are treated to a sleep ritual that incorporates a face and front body massage. The five-star hotel—complete with 10 pools and a six-floor “sauna

Here’s How to Sleep Great and Stay Energized–According to The Sleep Doctor

NOTE: This post was written by our friend Michael J. Breus, Ph.D., a double board-certified Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Sleep Specialist also known as The Sleep Doctor. He’s the author of four books, including his most recent, “Energize! Go From Dragging Ass to Kicking It in 30 Days.” We asked him to share a post about his new book, which was released last month. The holidays can bring substantial changes to our routines. Amid all the festivities, the routine-busting nature of the holiday season can disrupt our sleep and drain our energy—even well after they’re over. Busy schedules translate into late bedtimes and crowd out time for physical activity. Parties present us with sugary foods and lots of alcohol. Time with friends and family brings up complicated emotions and sometimes puts us in close quarters with people who are toxic to our emotional health. The cram-it-all-in pressure of the holidays can leave us stressed, drained, and dragging—physically and emotionally—and way short on the sleep we need to stay healthy and feeling our best. Even with the holidays in our rearview mirror, we need strategies for keeping our batteries charged and our nightly rest protected. A Recipe For Keeping Your Batteries Charged Maximizing your body’s natural energy stores and elevating your sleep is the subject of my new book, “Energize!: Go From Dragging Ass to Kicking It in 30 Days.” I wrote Energize with Stacey Griffith, a founding instructor of SoulCycle. Stacey and I have known each other for years. Bringing together my expertise in sleep and chronotype and Stacey’s expertise in metabolism and movement was a fascinating journey for both of us and resulted in a book I’m excited to share with you. Energize! brings together the latest scientific understanding of chronotype and metabolic type (aka body type). Our chronotype and our metabolic type are both determined by our genes. And just as every chronotype has an optimal routine for the “when” of daily life—the timing of sleeping, eating, exercising, working hard, taking it easy—our individual metabolic types have different genetically-driven needs for movement, rest, and recovery. This is all in order to build strength, stamina, flexibility, and maximize physical and mental energy. Establishing daily routines and habits based on chronotype and body type is the remedy for the stress, fatigue, weight gain, low mood and restless sleep that affect so many of us. Don’t know your chronotype? Take this quiz: www.chronoquiz.com. “Energize! is a step-by-step guide to creating individualized routines and habits that help you shed fatigue, stress, sleeplessness, and low mood, and reclaim abundant energy and vitality in your daily life, using your body’s unique circadian and metabolic biology as a roadmap.” Together, Stacey and I dug deep into the scientific research (and conducted research of our own) to develop personalized daily protocols for sleeping, eating and activity for every chronotype and metabolic type. Energize! is a step-by-step guide to creating individualized routines and habits that help you shed fatigue, stress, sleeplessness, and low mood, and reclaim abundant energy and vitality in your daily life, using your body’s unique circadian and metabolic biology as a roadmap. Let’s talk about how you can navigate these times without depleting your energy and losing sleep. Protect Your Resting Energy Protect Your Resting Energy: Get ahead of jet lag to minimize its impact (and stick to your regular sleep routine if you’re staying at home). A lot of us are traveling for the first time in a couple of years. Remember jet lag? Jet lag can drain the fun right out of a journey. It leaves you feeling fatigued, irritable, foggy-headed, sleepless and out of sync with your circadian rhythms. Jet lag gets more severe the farther we travel from our home time zone. A guideline is that it takes a full day to recover from every time zone you cross. And traveling eastbound will have a bigger impact on your sleep and circadian rhythms than traveling west. For all chronotypes and body types, the best way to minimize the impact of jet lag is to adjust your schedule to your destination time as soon as possible. You can start this process before you leave home. The week before your departure, adjust your sleep times, wake times, and meal times closer to the times you’ll be sleeping, eating, and active at your destination. If you’re traveling through a single time zone, you can adjust over a couple of nights to be fully on your destination schedule before you set out. For two or more time zones, adjust your schedule incrementally over a few days, to get closer to your destination time. If you can, sleep during the trip so that you’re less tempted to take a nap before your destination bedtime. Do your best to nap during the times you’d otherwise be asleep according to your destination time zone. When you arrive at your final destination, be sure to follow your new schedule accordingly and don’t turn in for the night until it is bedtime in the current time zone. Don’t go to bed early! Here’s a pro tip that can make adjusting your schedule during travel so much easier: I travel constantly, and I use the Timeshifter app (www.timeshifter.com) to help shift my routine when I’m traveling long distances. Timeshifter takes information about your chronotype, your home base and destination locations, and your flight times and does the work for you to create a personalized schedule for when to eat, when to get light exposure, when to sleep (and nap), when to consume caffeine, and when to take melatonin. What else can you do to minimize the effects of jet lag while you’re on the road this season? Limit alcohol and caffeine. Both alcohol and caffeine will dehydrate you, which intensifies fatigue, exacerbates concentration issues, and can lead to overeating and/or eating at the wrong times for your new schedule. Dehydration also interferes with sleep. To help your body maintain energy, keep alcohol and caffeine consumption to a minimum, and

Sleep Procrastination: What It Is and How to Stop Doing It, Pronto!

Sleep procrastination. Have you ever heard of it? Even if you haven’t, chances are you’re doing it, at least some of the time. Let’s dive into sleep procrastination so you can spot this snooze-wrecking habit—and bust it for good! What Is Sleep Procrastination? According to this Instagram post by our friend Dr. Michael J. Breus, AKA The Sleep Doctor, sleep procrastination is when you put off bedtime to reclaim personal time.  You might find yourself: Scrolling social media Watching Netflix (or an endless loop of cat videos) Reading Online shopping Engaging in an abundance of other non-productive, time-sucking activities Not that all of these things are non-productive, of course. But if you’re not careful, before you know it, you’ve lost track of time and you’ve cut into your precious sleeping hours. As we know from the Sleep Deep pillar of the 8 Pillars of a Nutritious Life, poor sleep quality and quantity trickle down into our daily lives. No bueno! So what is one to do? How to Avoid Sleep Procrastination Your first step should be to calculate your bedtime, then work backward from there. This article shares with you the exact process that Dr. Breus advises, based on REM sleep cycles. Once you have your ideal bedtime, use these tips to create a plan for avoiding sleep procrastination: Make time for yourself throughout the day—and earlier in the day!—so you’re not trying to squeeze in “me time” late at night Set an alarm to turn off your TV or electronics Have an accountability partner who will make sure you’re sticking to your plan Try a “power-down” hour before you go to bed More from our founder Keri Glassman, RD, and Dr. Michael Breus Want even more sleep procrastination tips? Check out this discussion between Nutritious Life founder Keri Glassman, who is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Dr. Michael Breus:   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by NUTRITIOUS LIFE (@nutritiouslifeofficial)   (Image: Shutterstock)

Magnesium: How it Affects Your Sleep and More

Often times, I have patients who have questions surrounding nutritional supplements, vitamins and minerals. Recently I had someone ask me about magnesium for sleep, since she had heard me on a podcast talking about the magnesium in banana tea. I thought I would share parts of our conversation with you: I talk often with my patients about the importance of magnesium, and its critical—and sometimes under-recognized—role in sleep and overall health. I’ve seen many patients benefit from increasing their magnesium intake, through diet and supplements. It’s not uncommon for people, especially women, to have less-than-optimal magnesium levels. Because magnesium plays such a widespread, critical role in the body—it’s one of the 24 essential vitamins and minerals—low magnesium levels can throw many of the body’s functions off course, and raise risks for chronic health problems. Healthy magnesium levels protect metabolic health, stabilize mood, keep stress in check, promote better sleep, and contribute to heart and bone health. Few dietary elements have more influence over the body than magnesium. Let’s take a closer look at how maintaining magnesium levels can benefit your sleep, as well as your mental and physical well-being. What is magnesium? Magnesium is an essential mineral, one of seven essential macro-minerals that the human body needs in large quantities. The body does not produce magnesium. The magnesium your body needs must come from outside sources. You receive magnesium through your diet. Magnesium-rich foods include: • Dark leafy greens • Seeds and nuts, including sunflower and sesame seeds, cashews and almonds • Squash, broccoli, and other vegetables • Legumes • Dairy products • Meat • Unprocessed whole grains • Chocolate • Coffee Magnesium deficiency is common among adults. Estimates suggest nearly half of adult men and women in the United States aren’t getting enough magnesium. Older adults are more vulnerable to magnesium deficiency. Women are also at higher risk for low magnesium, especially with age. How does magnesium work? Magnesium plays a widespread role in helping regulate and facilitate many essential functions in the body. One of magnesium’s most important roles is to enable healthy enzyme function. Magnesium is involved in more than 300 different enzyme-related reactions in the body’s cells. In addition, magnesium: • Plays a key role in energy production, activating ATP, the energy molecule that fuels your body’s cells • Regulates transport of calcium, potassium, and other essential minerals, helping muscles and nerves function properly, and maintaining heart rhythm • Regulates blood pressure, cholesterol production, and blood glucose levels • Aids bone development and guards against bone loss • Functions as an electrolyte, maintaining fluid balance in your body • Helps control your body’s stress-response system, and hormones that elevate or diminish stress Benefits of magnesium With such a broad, comprehensive role in the body’s functioning, it’s no surprise that the benefits of magnesium are widespread. Here are some of the ways science indicates magnesium can protect your health: Better sleep. Insomnia is a common symptom of magnesium deficiency. People with low magnesium often experience restless sleep, waking frequently during the night. Maintaining healthy magnesium levels often leads to deeper, more sound sleep. Magnesium plays a role in supporting deep, restorative sleep by maintaining healthy levels of GABA, a neurotransmitter that promotes sleep. Research indicates supplemental magnesium can improve sleep quality, especially in people with poor sleep. Magnesium can also help insomnia that’s linked to the sleep disorder restless-leg syndrome. Stress reduction and mood stabilization. Magnesium increases GABA, which encourages relaxation as well as sleep. Low GABA levels in the body can make it difficult to relax. Magnesium also plays a key role in regulating the body’s stress-response system. Magnesium deficiency is associated with heightened stress and anxiety. Recent research indicates that magnesium deficiency can negatively affect gut health and is linked to anxiety behaviors. Supplemental magnesium has been shown to have a stabilizing effect on mood. This essential mineral has been demonstrated effective in relieving symptoms of both mild-to-moderate anxiety and mild-to-moderate depression. Bone health. Magnesium plays a critical role in bone formation, and in maintaining bone density. It helps the body effectively use the building blocks of strong bones, including the nutrients calcium and Vitamin D. The role of magnesium to bone health becomes increasingly clear with age. Higher magnesium intake is linked to greater bone density in older men and women. In postmenopausal women, magnesium has been shown to improve bone mass. Cardiovascular health. One of magnesium’s most important jobs is to regulate muscle function throughout the body—and that includes the heart muscle. In the body, magnesium helps the heart maintain a healthy rhythm. It also helps regulate blood pressure and the production of cholesterol. High dietary magnesium intake is linked to significantly reduced mortality in people who are at high risk for cardiovascular disease. Magnesium deficiency is linked to unhealthful inflammation, and elevated inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein, or CRP. Studies show adults who don’t get sufficient magnesium are more likely to have higher levels of CRP, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In people with hypertension, supplemental magnesium can lower blood pressure, according to research. Magnesium is an effective blood-pressure reducer in healthy adults with high blood pressure, and in adults who have hypertension and diabetes. In addition to blood pressure regulation, magnesium is used to treat other cardiovascular conditions, including: • Arrhythmia • Angina • Coronary artery disease • Cholesterol • Mitral valve prolapse Metabolic health. Magnesium has an important function in regulating blood sugar, and in metabolizing glucose in the body. Higher magnesium levels are associated with lower risk for type 2 diabetes. Low magnesium levels in the body are linked to insulin resistance. Among people with type 2 diabetes, 25-38 percent are also deficient in magnesium, according to research. Research shows supplemental magnesium can improve insulin sensitivity in people with diabetes who have a magnesium deficiency. One study showed that in pre-diabetics without a magnesium deficiency, supplemental magnesium reduces blood glucose levels. People whose magnesium intake is high have a lower risk for metabolic syndrome, a group of conditions that increase risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Relief from pain. Research indicates magnesium may help with pain problems in a number of health conditions: • Supplemental magnesium may help reduce pain intensity and improve mobility for people with chronic lower back pain • Supplemental magnesium may improve pain and tender points (as well

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.

7 Items You Need for Better Sleep

How do you sleep? If you’re one of the rare unicorns that can sleep soundly every night, we applaud you. However, you’re definitely the exception, not the rule. Studies have found that 70 percent of adults report struggling to sleep at least one night a month, and 11 percent report insufficient sleep every night. Sleep issues affect 50 to 70 million Americans. No wonder those late night infomercials do so well…we’re all awake!  A study published by the app Sleep Cycle showed that February is the worst month for getting quality sleep. “This may be because the hormone melatonin is important for sleep and you need sun exposure to produce melatonin,” says  Seema Sarin, MD, Director of Lifestyle Medicine, EHE Health. “So, you have less melatonin during the dark winter months and this affects your sleep.” And, we all know how important sleep is to our physical and mental wellbeing.  The good news is that there are tools to help you not only fall asleep faster, but stay asleep. We spoke to sleep experts to share their favorite items that we can all try.  A Proper Mattress “A good mattress is probably one of the most important tools in a good night’s sleep. You need a mattress that is both firm, for maximum spinal alignment and soft, for optimal pressure relief on your hips and shoulders. The problem is that every choice you have out there requires you to compromise. You have to choose either a firm mattress or a soft one.  Intellibed uses the Gel Matrix technology that gives you both firm and soft at the same time.  It is an engineering phenomenon and truly does provide you with both. While a mattress supports your body, technology like Sleep Genius prepares your mind for optimal sleep.” —Collin House, sleep expert for Intellibed  Try: Birch Natural Mattress, starting at $1,299; and Sleep Genius Smart Base, $2,400 Upgrade Your Linens “I recommend getting allergy covers for your mattress and pillows even if you don’t have allergies just to keep dust and other particles out of your bedding. If that’s not in your budget, at least aim to wash your sheets once a week!  Is there anything better than getting into a freshly made bed with clean sheets?” —Lauri Leadley of Valley Sleep Center TRY: Luxome Bamboo Sheets, $129  Diffuser, Air Purifier and White Noise Machine “Ideally, your bedroom should be comfortable and be reserved for sleep and intimacy so that you associate the space with sleep. The temperature should not be too hot or cold. Make sure that the room is dark and there aren’t any shining or flashing lights. I recommend you invest in a great white noise machine, air purifier and diffuser.” —Seema Sarin, MD, Director of Lifestyle Medicine, EHE Health  TRY: CHI Egyptian Aromatherapy Ultrasonic Essential Oil Diffuser, $25; Guru Nanda Essential Oil Diffuser and Humidifier, $80; and Pure Enrichment Wave Sleep Therapy sound machine, $30 Blackout Shades & Orange Light Bulbs “Get the lighting right. I use a combination of black out shades and a bedside lamp with orange tinted light bulbs.  I love this combination because I get a warm candlelight glow in my room at bedtime but can open the blinds first thing in the morning to bring in the daylight.”   —Lauri Leadley of Valley Sleep Center TRY: Redi Paper Shade, $45 and Amber Lightbulb, $20   

How To Buy a Mattress in a Pandemic

I don’t know about you, but I still like to go shopping in a physical store. COVID has made that a little more complicated. While the convenience of getting something shipped right to my door is amazing (thank you Amazon, Wayfair and essentially every store on the planet!), there are still some things that I personally like to touch and test out before purchasing. One in particular—a mattress. Recently, I was in the market for a new mattress. In the past,  this was  really fun for my husband and I.  We would go into a store, jump (I mean lay) on every mattress in sight (at least 10 times) and then decide which was the perfect one for us.  But with the state of the pandemic, we had to pause. Is that even safe to do anymore? Stores are open and are supposed to be going through the proper safety procedures, but can we trust them? Is there another way to purchase a mattress that we know will fit our needs without going in a store?  You all know sleep is essential for our health.  Getting the proper 7 to 8 hours helps your body to recharge, remain healthy, stave off diseases and think more clearly. We can’t function without it, so you don’t want to mess around with one of the most important tools to help you get those zzzzz’s. So, I turned to the experts to help us in our search for a safe way to buy a mattress at this time.  Lexie Sachs is a Fiber Scientist and the Textiles Director at the Good Housekeeping Institute. Her job is to test every product on the market—from diapers and towels to workout leggings and mattresses to help us know which is the best on the shelves.  “Not to add more pressure, but buying a new mattress is one of the most important purchases you’ll make for your home,” Sachs says. “It needs to be comfortable and supportive to give you the best possible sleep, and durable so you won’t have to replace it within a few years. And because mattresses can get pricey, you want to make sure you’re investing in one that’s actually worth the cost.” Below are Sachs tips on how to find the best mattress (without stepping into a store).   HOW MATTRESS TESTING IS DONE The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab reviews mattresses of all kinds, from traditional innerspring mattresses that you buy in stores to foam mattress-in-a-box styles that you buy online. On top of researching the brands, materials, and features, we have product experts and consumer testers try them out, and we survey our tester panel to get in-depth reviews from thousands of real users. We ask questions to learn everything about the mattresses, from the shopping experience and delivery, to first impressions of comfort, to how they have held up over time. We also ask about any issues encountered and how those issues were handled by customer service. We want to make sure that not only is the mattress good, but that the brand also is trustworthy since there are many new companies popping up in this space with bold promises. We also research the brands ourselves to learn more about their materials, policies, and more fine details.  And we have our product experts review them in person to get a better idea of how they feel and hold up over time. We continue to follow up with our testers and experts each year to see if there are any changes.  KNOW YOUR COMFORT LEVEL People will have their own personal levels of comfort in terms of how they want to shop for a mattress during the pandemic, but the good news is that there are great options for everyone. There’s the traditional in-store method, and many stores have reopened with safety precautions in place. Then there’s online shopping with white glove delivery, where a service will set up the mattress in your home (and many will remove your old mattress for you). Lastly, there’s online shopping where the mattress is shipped compressed in a box for you to set up on your own. This may be too much work for some, but it’s a good option for people that need a new mattress but don’t want anyone entering their homes during the pandemic. CONSIDER ONLINE SHOPPING Obviously I’m biased, but I would recommend checking out our Good Housekeeping mattress roundups. I’ve done the background work to make sure these are trustworthy brands as there are a lot of highly marketed mattress companies that have issues with customer service or the mattress itself. From there, consider your preferences in terms of delivery/set up and the mattress itself. CONSIDER YOUR SLEEPING STYLE AND POSITION  The main thing is personal preference: If you prefer a firmer bed with a more bouncy feel, you’ll want an innerspring mattress. If you prefer a pressure-relieving material that you sink into, opt for memory foam. You can also find hybrids that offer both coils and memory foam so you get the best of both worlds.  You should also consider your sleeping position because you need to make sure your spine is properly aligned. If you’re a stomach sleeper, you’re best off with a firm mattress. Side sleepers need a softer surface so there isn’t too much pressure around your joints. And back sleepers (or those who switch positions a lot) can opt for something in between. And when you’re online shopping, be sure to check the trial period and return policy so you can get a refund if you don’t love what you pick. YOU CAN STILL TRY IT OUT Look for mattresses with free trial periods so you can return them if you don’t love them. Most online mattress brands have generous policies where you can return the mattress within three months, or often longer. Even without a pandemic, this is a great way to make sure you love your mattress and are comfortable with the

Create a Bedtime Routine for Better Sleep

Ask Keri: Lately I’ve been really overwhelmed and stressed, and it’s been affecting my sleep. What is your bedtime routine? Do you have any tips to sleep better? Keri says: Getting quality shut-eye is essential and impacts every aspect of your life. If you sleep more,  you’ll make smarter food choices, have the energy for all the things you need to do at home, and it will likely boost your mood. Sounds great, but it’s not always that easy, right? I hear you. I’m not a good sleeper. I have to work on this pillar to be just average at it. Like most of us, there are a lot of things causing me stress right now, which I know doesn’t help my sleep cause. The pandemic has changed everything for us all. I am constantly thinking about my business, my children most of all, and the overall state of the world. Am I doing enough? Listening enough? How am I being supportive to my children, my family, my colleagues? There never seems to be enough time in the day to tackle all the tasks, so each night my mind goes over my ever-growing to-do list. Did I make that doctor’s appointment? Did I double book morning meetings? Did I lose my patience too quickly with the kids? So, with life being busy and unpredictable, being able to get seven to eight hours of sleep every night isn’t easy. There are a number of studies showing a consistent bedtime routine can increase sleep duration and sleep quality. My day is non-stop (which many of you can relate to, I’m sure), so a solid evening routine is really important for me to wind down. Sleep is something I make sure to prioritize.  I am going to walk you though my evening to hopefully inspire you to set up a routine of your own.  Keri Glassman’s Bedtime Routine and Tips Do Something You Enjoy  I am go-go-go through dinner. Then it’s dishes, wrap up a little work or help the kids with anything they may need, and finally take a breather. I might take a little time to watch a show (I never used to watch TV, but have recently gotten into a couple series, and it’s a joy) or read a book. I enjoy having chamomile tea while I do this. On many nights, I’ll also take a supplement that aids in sleep. Have a ‘Get Ready for Bed’ Ritual  Each night I have a set routine for washing up and getting my room in order for sleep.  I wash my face (I switch up a bunch of clean cleansers. Right now I’m using a Barbara Strum one), moisturize and then use an oil (I’m oil obsessed!). If I have time or I”m not too tired, I’ll do some foam rolling  (I use my friend Lauren Roxburgh’s Lo Rox Aligned Rollers) or my Higher Dose infrared sauna wrap.  Then, since I go to bed before my kids these days, I’ll go in and talk to each of them and say goodnight. Prepare Your Room   The setting of your room can set the tone for a good night’s rest.  Try and minimize external noise (white noise helps), keep the room dark and turn off your phone. Better yet, move it away from your bed to limit distractions (I’m still working on this one). Ideally, my room is super organized (which helps me sleep). I also use lavender in my diffuser and have the temperature set to 68 degrees. A recent study found that bedroom temperature affects sleep quality more than external noise.  Clear Your Mind  I write lists when wrapping up my day and then again before bed. This helps take things off my mind before trying to relax. Writing to-dos and organizing is always helpful for me. And that includes writing down what is causing me stress, too. I like to think of it as putting my thoughts to bed.   And, of course a bedtime meditation is the perfect way to induce slumber. There are so many benefits to a daily meditation practice. I like to do it in the morning and, if there’s time, in the afternoon as well. Here are five meditations that can help you tonight!   

The 2017 Nutritious Life Gift Guide: Sleep Deep

Who in your life is definitely burning the candle at both ends rather than tucking in for restful slumber on a regular basis? Wrap up the gift of better sleep.

Could Drinking Tart Cherry Juice Improve Your Sleep?

Is tart cherry juice the new melatonin? Keri explains the research.

How to Do Yoga (in Bed!) for Better Sleep

Tell your significant other to scoot over a bit.

Why You Really Need to Get More Sleep

Busy people prioritize pretty much everything else over hours spent in bed, but the case for why you should get more sleep might be more convincing than you realize. It’s not just about waking up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed every morning, with energy to seize the day. (Although that’s a nice side effect!) Skimping on sleep seriously affects your health on multiple levels—from your mental state to how often you end up miserable with the flu. RELATED: How Many Hours of Sleep Do You Really Need? Still thinking you’ve got to stay up to watch Girls and then wake up at 5:00 a.m. to make a pre-work workout class? Consider these five science-backed reasons to get more sleep, first. 4 Reasons to Get More Sleep 1. Sleep helps you maintain a healthy weight. The research is pretty conclusive: getting enough sleep is key to weight management. When you sleep more, you simply have less time to eat, and some studies have shown you may also make better food choices. But it’s deeper than that. Those who are sleep deprived have higher levels of ghrelin—a hormone that stimulates appetite—circulating in their blood, which causes an increase in hunger. In other words, your body’s hormonal response to being tired is to tell you to eat more. (Thanks a lot, body.) 2. Sleep protects your brain. Studies suggest that sleep flushes out toxins that accumulate in your brain during the day, and that process could benefit functions like reasoning and memory over the long term. There’s also major overlap between individuals with sleep disorders and conditions like depression and anxiety. (Although the research is not clear on whether lack of sleep leads to mental health issues or issues like depression cause sleep disorders…or both.) Bonus: Getting enough sleep is going to give you the energy to engage in other healthy habits proven to protect your brain—like exercising and making healthy food choices. RELATED: The Gut-Brain Connection and How It Impacts Your Health 3. Sleep is good for your heart. In a 2011 study, women who reported sleep deprivation had higher levels of biomarkers for inflammation associated with cardiovascular disease and stroke. A 2010 research review found “short sleep duration” is associated with high blood pressure, which is also a risk factor for heart disease. RELATED: What Inflammation Is and How It Affects Your Health 4. Sleep protects your immune system. Speaking of inflammation, sleep is a major regulator of immune system processes. Research shows not getting enough sleep over a long period of time creates a stress response that promotes chronic inflammation and weakens the immune system’s defenses against disease. Translation: less sleep equals more sick days. Ready to work harder on setting a bedtime? Try incorporating these sleep-inducing foods into your diet, breathing in these essential oils, or reviewing these six tips for better sleep.