Actionable steps to improve your sleep, courtesy of Equinox-selected experts.
1. Wear a sleep mask.
“On the road, you don't really know what you're walking into as far as the hotel room goes, the lighting situation, or maybe a different time zone,” says Todd Anderson, co-founder of Dream Recovery, athlete, and former Tier 1 Coach at Equinox. “The sleep mask is such an easy tool to take back something that used to be uncontrollable. It brings sleep into the controllable column.” READ MORE
2. Combat jet lag before your flight.
Ideally, you’ll begin preparing for your trip one to two weeks in advance by gradually moving up your bedtime, says Rebecca Robbins, Ph.D., a sleep scientist, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, and certified yoga instructor who teaches at Equinox. If you live in Boston and are flying to London, for instance, go to bed 15 minutes earlier each night to slowly help your body transition to the new time zone, she suggests. “That preparation, after a full week or two weeks, would allow you to get a one- or two-hour shift in the direction of your destination's time zone,” she says. “That will facilitate your transition when you get to your destination.” READ MORE
3. Prioritize sleep quality over sleep latency.
Falling asleep fast doesn’t automatically make you a “good sleeper,” says Chris Winter, M.D., a neurologist, sleep specialist, and host of the Sleep Unplugged podcast. Essentially, sleep latency — the amount of time it takes you to reach any stage of sleep once the lights go out — completely ignores the quality of your ZZZs, which matters much more for your health, says Winter. Similar to how eating fast doesn’t mean you’re eating healthfully, falling asleep moments after hitting the pillow doesn’t mean you’re getting high-quality sleep, he explains. READ MORE
4. Share a bed with a loved one? Try the Scandinavian Sleep Method.
The method encourages partners to continue sharing a bed with one key change: incorporating two duvets (usually without a top sheet) instead of one to help regulate your preferred sleep temperature and avoid the inevitable tug of war in the middle of the night. Research has also found a connection between poor sleep and lack of conflict resolution between partners. Meanwhile, a restful night’s sleep has been found to increase the likeliness of a couple's empathic response during a conflict conversation. READ MORE
5. Exercise in the afternoon.
“Studies have shown that this can reduce anxiety and stress levels, which can help improve sleep quality,” says Dan Hagen, Tier X Coach at Equinox. If you are feeling well-rested, capitalize on it with a more intense workout like Tabata or Metcon. Alternatively, if you find that you’re feeling a little sluggish, opt for a low- or moderate-intensity activity, or something more regenerative like yoga or stretching.” LISTEN NOW
6. Pair your nighttime workouts with deep breathing.
After a tough workout, your heart rate variability — or the amount of time between your heartbeats — will have taken a bit of a beating. So if you want to better prepare yourself for sleep, consider your breathing rate. “Lots of studies point to a slow respiration rate to improve our HRV. This is especially practical as even just imitating a slow breathing rate can acutely impact our ability to improve our HRV and help us destress,” says Michael Crandall, a Tier X Coach at Equinox. READ MORE
7. Journal every day.
Lauren Deluca, a Tier X Coach at Equinox, recommends calming a wandering mind by performing a “brain dump” of sorts. “Write down the thoughts that are keeping you up and consciously decide to solve them in the morning — not right then,” Deluca says. READ MORE