Get Tracking! – The Sweet Dreams Challenge

March is National Sleep Awareness Month and a perfect time to focus on the amount of shut-eye you’re getting each night.

The Sweet Dreams Challenge invites you to track how much sleep you get for 30 days. Knowing how much you sleep is a key step to making sure you’re getting enough (7-9 hours for adults). As you log your sleep each night, you may notice some patterns that affect your ability to snooze. For example, do you sleep better after reading a book or after watching TV? Does going to bed late one evening affect your sleep the next evening? Do you sleep better with the house warmer or colder?

Not getting enough sleep has effects that go way beyond feeling tired the next day. When you are asleep, your body repairs itself, produces hormones crucial for good health, and renews your mind. Lack of sleep can actually lead to heart disease, impair performance and concentration (which can affect the work you do), and is associated with weight gain. Setting a consistent bedtime can help you sleep better and while this may be difficult, it’s worth the effort. Scientists have found that people with inconsistent sleep patterns had a raised pulse rate and increased levels of harmful stress hormones, which lead to a higher risk of heart problems. Getting enough sleep allows the heart and mind to rejuvenate.

So remember to aim for a consistent bedtime (± 30 min) each evening and track your sleep to make sure you are getting enough to help you feel better and perform at your peak.

Download: Get Tracking – March 2020