Welcome to the first in a series of Health hacks from Reform Pilates.
What is a Health hack ?
A “hack” is a creative idea that can help you change habits and can lead to big improvements in your health.
This is the first in a series of simple Health Hacks which we thought might be useful for you if you are looking to make small changes to your lifestyle which can make a significant difference to your long-term health. These hacks are based on all of the research emerging in the area of lifestyle medicine.
Of course, keeping healthy needs a multi-faceted approach! There are key things that healthy people do every day – exercise, maintain a nutritious diet and get a good night’s sleep.
Sleep well for good health
To be healthy we need to make sleep a top priority in our lives – getting enough sleep every night can improve immune function, memory, cognition and mood. People ages 16 to 60 should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep nightly. People ages 65 and over should aim for 7 to 8 hours.
How to optimise sleep
Commit to a regular sleep schedule – wake up and go to bed at the same time every day
Reduce screen time before bed
Have a cool, dark, quiet bedroom
Include physical activity in your daily routine
Limit caffeine and alcohol intake
Further information on good sleep
There is an abundance of research on sleep and the importance of good sleep. An easily digestible TED talk by Dr Matt Walker might be a good place to start – (690) Sleep is your superpower | Matt Walker – YouTube or you can find many articles on Google Scholar. Sleep well!