How to get a good night’s sleep
Lately I’ve been on a personal mission to take better care of myself and that has meant trying to sleep more. As a busy working mom, I wasn’t getting enough sleep if you consider that the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) recommends at least 8 hours.
I was tired, heavily relied on coffee to keep me alert and later at night I has so much trouble just falling asleep despite how exhausted I was. Since I couldn’t sleep, I’d watch TV or check my emails on my iPhone. Later, when my alarm went off, I had to drag myself out of bed and the vicious cycle kept going on.
So many share this same problem. For example, a poll by the NSF showed that 72 percent of Hispanics reported watching TV within one hour of going to bed. More and more people admit that they have trouble getting enough sleep and I believe we need to change this. That’s why I jumped at the chance of collaborating with Downy as ambassador for their Tuck In, Turn Off campaign. You can take a first step toward healthier sleeping habits by taking the online pledge on www.TuckInTurnOff.com, and follow the conversation across social media using hashtag #TuckInTurnOff. Procter & Gamble is supporting National Sleep Awareness Week with the launch of its newest fabric care regimen, the Sweet Dreams Collection, a suite of products formulated with ingredients to clean, soften and freshen all your bedtime fabrics, from your linens to your pajamas.
5 tips so you can sleep better
Small steps can make big differences and here are a few tips that have worked for me:
- Stop using electronics at least half an hour before going to bed. You want to help your brain calm down instead of revving it up.
- Avoid caffeine and energy drinks in the late afternoon and evening.
- Try drinking a warm herbal tea such as mint or chamomile before bedtime. There are many decaffeinated options that can help you unwind.
- Dim the lights in your bedroom the hour before you plan on going to bed.
- Turn off your cell phone or at least use the “do not disturb” setting so texts or non-urgent call don’t wake you up in the middle of the night.
Create a peaceful sleeping environment
One of the key recommendations from the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) when it comes to healthy sleep habits is to create a peaceful and comfortable bedroom will make you feel good and help build positive, relaxing associations. One way to do this is with pleasant scents — the scents in your bedroom environment should be calming and help you relax.
That’s why I don’t think it’s a coincidence that according to data from the NSF, 80 percent of Hispanics say they get a more comfortable night’s sleep on sheets with a fresh scent. I’m one of them and I’ve discovered I am tremendously sensitive to smell, especially if I am surrounded by a calming scent.
We’re coming to New York City and Los Angeles
The Sweet Dreams Collection will be visiting New York and Los Angeles – and I will be there with celebrity doctor Ian Smith. Attendees will receive tips on how to relax so they can fall asleep including how to create a relaxing sleep environment with the Sweet Dreams Collection.
On Tuesday, February 25th join us in Grand Central’s Vanderbilt Hall, between 9am and 6pm EST. If you’re in the area, please come and say hi because I’d love to see you.
Then it will be the West Coast’s turn. On Friday, March 7th the “Tuck in. Turn Off” Tour will travel to Los Angeles to put the ‘city of dreams’ to bed. The west coast “Tuck In.Turn Off” event will take place between 9am and 6pm PST at The Grove.
Join our Twitter Party
Since the “Tuck in. Turn Off” Tour cannot be in every city, on March 18th everybody can join in the conversation by participating in our Twitter Party by using the hashtag #TuckInTurnOff and checking all the tips from Downy on Twitter. You can also check out all my pictures on Instagram.
I hope this campaign helps many people adopt healthier sleeping habits!
More information
Disclosure: As ambassador for Downy´s Sweet Dreams Collection I’ve been compensated but all opinions are my own.
Lee sobre mi colaboración con Downy en español aquí
