Your Fitbit, mom and even horoscope want you to do more of it. And so do we. Reason #54758 to get more zzzs: running on only five hours’ sleep led people in a Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study to burn more kilojoules than deep sleepers. Big BUT: those people ended up eating more than they’d burned and gained 900g in a week. Oh.
If you’re unable to turn off tech before bed, or meditate or do any of the other great things, try these quirky tips to get more zzzs…
Close The Curtains
Really close them, with heavy, light-blocking curtains. Street lights may be affecting your sleep. A recent study by Stanford University in the US followed almost 16,000 people over eight years and found 29% of city dwellers reported fatigue and dissatisfaction with sleep quality. This was compared with only 16% in the country, where there is reduced street light pollution. It’s all because a lack of complete darkness can disrupt your circadian rhythm. Our solution? Try an eye mask. It blocks out light pollution.
READ MORE: 9 Things You’re Doing In Your Sleep That Signal A Bigger Health Problem
Have Oral Sex
And give it, too. A State University of New York study found that women who regularly give their partners oral sex are happier, more affectionate, less anxious and better able to sleep. (And yes, we’re guessing the author was male.) It may be because semen contains mood-enhancing chemicals and antidepressants.
READ MORE: The Best Sleepytime Products That’ll Take You To La-La Land STAT
Eat Rice
Carb lovers: we bear good news. In a Japanese study, volunteers who ate more rice got a better quality of sleep. High-GI foods increase levels of tryptophan, a protein used to make serotonin, which induces sleep. Nutritionists say tryptophan works best on an empty stomach, so load up your dinner plate after a long day at work. Sleep tight.
…And to enhance your morning face, try sleeping on a satin pillowcase.
Per Gaynor Walkey, owner of Granny Goose, it’ll nix lines and boost moisture. “Unlike cotton fabric which draws moisture from the skin, sleeping on a satin pillowcase works to balance moisture levels,” says Walkey. It also minimised tangles in your hair. Try the Granny Goose satin pillowcase, R320.
