Goodnight, Moon

#health #sleep #moon

"Without the Moon, our days would be just 6 hours long!"--Paul Ebeling

Goodnight, Moon

Keep track of the lunar cycle (StarDate has a handy calculator), and a few days before the full moon, try incorporating the following into your nightly routine:

• Wear a sleep mask. Your circalunar rhythms keep the beat even when the Moon isn’t visible. But if it is, that extra light isn’t going to help.

• Chill. Sleep researchers recommend a bedroom temperature of 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit for ideal sleep.

• Boost melatonin. Though OTC melatonin supplements can carry some unpleasant side effects, you can prime the pump on your body’s production with a bedtime snack of natural sources: dried cherries, grapes, olives and nuts.

• Skip the nightcap. One thing your bedtime snack shouldn’t include, though: a martini. Alcoholic beverages in the evening suppress melatonin production, keeping you from drowsiness and the deepest stages of sleep.

• Get noisy in the bedroom. A fan or white noise machine may help lull you to sleep quicker (and keep you there). YouTube has some great all-night tracks of rain, trains, oceans and starship engines from which to choose.

• Try moon milk! Because when we roll with a theme, we roll hard. 😉

More moon means less sleep

And remember: this is only temporary. For the next couple of weeks, your lunar clock only gets more sleep-friendly.

Have a happy weekend, Keep the Faith!