Decide to close your eyes more? Here are 4 sleep hacks to help

As the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, millions of individuals vow to eat better, exercise more, and live healthier lives.

But something is missing from this equation. While eating well and exercising are very important, too often people neglect the keystone of good health: sleep.

While few people enjoy an everyday exercise routine or kale salad, most people love sleep. And a good night’s sleep loves you too: It improves mental and physical health.

With today’s high-stress, high-caffeine, and screen-addicted lifestyles, millions of Americans do not get enough sleep. There are many reasons for this. A look at the 2017 Sleep in Review study by Sleep Number shows that sleep habits are very individual and need to be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Look at the numbers:

This year, more than 30 percent of Americans reported sleeping worse than in 2016.

The big culprit here is television. Nearly half of all respondents said that television often disturbs their sleep. In fact, 24 percent of millennials and 14 percent of Americans report that binge-watching before bed prevents them from getting enough rest.

Nearly 70 percent said worry and responsibility prevented them from getting the sleep they needed. Racing minds give many Americans a break, particularly amongst Gen Xers. Worries about caring for others – aging parents or young kids – can often cause you to neglect yourself.

However, prioritizing self-care is commonly the best way to take care of others. Those who slept well said they had a healthy balance of taking time for themselves and helping others who needed it (39 percent versus 26 percent). Of course, if you have trouble sleeping, this may sound easier said than done.

How do you get there? How do you achieve that incredible, refreshing eight hours of sleep?

There’s nobody right way to do it, but according to the survey, there are a few habits shared by people who sleep badly:

Remove device:

Forty-six percent of those who described themselves as “very good sleepers” never or barely brought their devices to bed.

Laugh:

Those who sleep well are more likely to watch comedy before bed.

Keep cool:

Forty-five percent said that cooling to room temperature was the No. 1 thing they do to improve sleep quality.

Keep tidy:

Those who make their bed every morning tend to have trouble sleeping.

A good night’s sleep can mean the difference between having a terrific day or having a terrible day. More and more Americans are realizing this. More than half (54 percent) of those surveyed made “improving the quality of their sleep” one of their New Year’s resolutions, which was up 30 percentage points from 2014.

Individual path to better sleep

In the past five years, millions of individuals have used software and technology that track their eating and exercise habits. These small devices provide individualized reports that allow people to monitor their activity and adjust in a way that promotes good habits and health. Likewise, SleepIQ Sleep Number(R) technology tracks your sleep habits, and in the morning, it gives you a personalised report on how you slept, offering insight into how you can improve your sleep habits.

Sleep is very individual, and there is nobody right way to go about it. The more you know about how you sleep, the more you can learn what adjustments you must make to sleep better. Learn more about the latest sleep tracking and adjustable comfort at sleepnumber.com.