your body will let you know if you’re getting the proper amount of sleep, mariani says. “you’re ready to take on the day. you don’t have a headache, you’re not groggy and lethargic. you can focus on things you need to and you can multitask a little better. mentally, you’re your best self.”
you’ll also be less inclined to lean on certain foods or beverages to keep you going.
“you’ll have more even energy levels over the course of the day and also, for a lot of people, less cravings for sugary or starchy foods, which is certainly a positive,” she adds.
and considering we spend around a third of our lives asleep, one would think we would be better at it. unfortunately, one would be wrong. “sleep is one of those rare things that you can’t try harder and get good at,” says mariani.
good sleep hygiene
the key to getting a good night’s rest is sending consistent signals to your body that lets it know when it’s time to shut things down. this begins with going to bed and waking up at the same time every day — even on weekends when your pillow won’t stop calling your name.
“that does two things,” says mariani. “it allows your body to get the seven to nine hours consistently at the same time every night, but it also instills a sleep rhythm in you that you can then help reinforce with other habits so that your body really gets the message that it is time to shut down.”