Wouldn’t we all love to have a secret formula for staying young? We can’t stop time, but there are actions we can take to look and feel our best. Along with all the time we spend on beauty routines, eating right, and keeping our bodies fit, another key habit for slowing the aging process is getting enough sleep. This habit can be hard for many of us to maintain regularly, but may also be the secret formula you’ve been missing.

How To Catch More Zzz’s

You might be thinking sleep is just something that happens or it doesn’t.  After all, what can you do to sleep better? Tossing, turning, and counting sheep are no fun, and many insomniacs stare at the ceiling, night after night.  However, a good night’s rest may be closer than you think. Often all it takes is addressing one or more simple issues that are keeping you up.

Do You Need A New Mattress?

An old, worn, lumpy mattress can interfere with how comfortably you sleep for obvious reasons. Also, your mattress has a lifespan, and if yours is reaching the end, it’s probably time to start shopping. On top of all that, you might be surprised to learn that the firmness of your mattress should match your sleep style as well, and a mismatch could be part of your problem.

People with lower back pain tend to do better with a medium-firm to firm mattress, while a hard or very soft mattress could cause more problems, according to Harvard Health Publishing. Bodyweight is another factor that makes a difference, with heavier individuals often needing a softer mattress, and those who are lighter weight preferring a firmer mattress. The good news is that many of the most popular brands out there, such as the Saatva mattress, have several options to choose from, including plush soft, luxury firm, and firm, so you can find the one that’s exactly right for you.

Do You Have A Bedtime Routine?

You may think that bedtime routines are just for children, but this is a habit we never outgrow. Time Magazine explains that our bodies need some kind of signal to know that it’s time for sleep. Giving your body this cue not only helps you get to sleep, but it’s also necessary for getting the deep sleep you need. A good bedtime routine might include turning off electronics, taking a warm bath, and doing something relaxing, such as trying aromatherapy.

Is Something Else Interfering With Your Sleep?

Along with all of these other tips, it can also be helpful to look closely at what’s going on in your life and whether something else could be keeping you up. While this is a big generalization, young people often struggle with sleep due to stress, whereas older adults may have health conditions that affect their sleep. If an ongoing concern is interfering with your sleep, addressing it could boost your overall quality of life, and help you stay young.

How Sleep Keeps Us Young

There are processes our bodies need to go through for rejuvenation, and sleep is when they happen. For example, cortisol levels go down while you sleep, which helps skin regenerate. Additionally, NBC News explains that our bodies produce anti-inflammatory cytokines while we sleep, which are critical for fighting the damage that our skin is hit with every day.

On top of all that, sleep not only keeps us looking young, it’s just as important for feeling young and healthy. Without enough sleep, you feel groggy and grumpy, you lack energy, and you might have trouble focusing. Insufficient sleep has been linked to a number of physical health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease.

When you know the likely causes of poor sleep, it’s a matter of trying the right solutions to remedy this problem. Sleep does much more than just make us feel rested. It’s our body’s way of resetting, and by pressing the reset button each night, you can enjoy looking and feeling as young as possible.

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Written By:

Jason Lewis is a personal trainer who specializes in helping senior citizens stay fit and healthy. He is also the primary caretaker of his mom after her surgery. He writes for Strong Well and enjoys creating fitness programs that cater to the needs of people over 65.

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.